Annex A - Official Documents

2005 Strategic Export Controls
12
The UNPoA contains important guidance on
controlling transfers of SALW but we need to build
on this by defining, as required by the UNPoA,
states’ current responsibilities under international
law. We believe these are best expressed as
common global criteria for states to consider
before issuing a licence for an international
transfer of SALW. To this end work has continued
in the last year under the UK-led Transfer Controls
Initiative (TCI) to build on regional approaches to
agree such global criteria.
Since the launch of the TCI 3 years ago the UK has
sponsored a number of regional workshops and
seminars (most recently in Sri Lanka, Peru and
Nicaragua) to develop regional agreement on
transfer controls. Over 100 states have expressed
varying degrees of support for the process. In April
2006 at a UK-Kenya sponsored meeting in Nairobi
representatives of 11 governments and civil society
from all regions of the world produced draft global
guidelines for national controls governing transfers
of SALW. These build on the commonalties of
various regional agreements. The UK, with other
supporters of TCI will work hard to build broad
international support for these draft global
guidelines.
In addition to the SALW work currently underway in
the UN, the UK also actively pursues a programme
of assistance in stockpile management, security
and destruction. Most illicit SALW begin their life
as responsible transfers. These weapons often
leak from poorly managed stockpiles into the illicit
trade. Working either bilaterally or with
international partners the UK has funded or
participated in several important projects. For
example, we are currently helping fund a UNDP
project in Bosnia Herzegovina to destroy at least
250,000 SALW and 10,000 tonnes of ammunition,
similarly in Ukraine we are actively working with
partners to support a NATO partnership for peace
project aimed at the destruction of 1.5 million small
arms and light weapons, 133,000 tons of munitions
and 1000 man portable air defence systems
(MANPADS). We have been working in various
countries to improve stockpile and security
facilities and management practices. Over the last
few years, we have worked in more than half a
dozen states, and provided over £1,000,000 in
funding towards the destruction of over 2.5 million
SALW, 1000 MANPADS and 400,000 tons of
ammunition and we continue to look for further
opportunities in this field.
Good progress has been made since 2001.
However, SALW related deaths, injury and
suffering continue on a large scale. The UK will
continue to work hard with our international
partners to improve efforts to tackle the scourge of
illicit small arms and light weapons.
2.3 EMBARGOED DESTINATIONS
The UK fully respects its obligations under UN, EU,
OSCE, our own national embargoes, and any
other international restrictions to which we are a
party on the export of military and other controlled
goods.
Exports of such goods to embargoed destinations
or entities will only be permitted where to do so is
fully consistent with the letter and spirit of our
obligations. Most embargoes contain very clear
exemptions, which ensure that the sanction in
place does not prohibit exports that it was not the
intention to target.
All licences recorded in this report as having been
issued to embargoed destinations conform fully
with the terms of the sanction concerned, and have
also been considered carefully against the
Consolidated EU and National Export Licensing
Criteria.
The most common examples of applications that
may be issued for embargoed destinations are:
� Equipment for use in humanitarian relief efforts
(e.g. vehicles);
� Goods for use by media and NGO personnel
(e.g. body armour);
� Equipment for peace-keeping forces;
� Equipment for use solely by industry or other
civil purpose (e.g. some chemicals, parts for
civil aircraft);