Rusta för fred (500 KB) Ladda ner - Svenska Freds

Laila Freivalds
Foreign Minister
Sweden
Fax +46-8-723 1176
Geneva, 18 April 2005
Dear Madam
Hearing on Swedish arms trade regulation – April 22
The International Peace Bureau – a worldwide network of over 250 peace organisations
- has a long-standing concern regarding the European weapons
trade. We understand that an important meeting will take place on April 22 to
review the outcome of the recent Inquiry appointed by the government.
We share the reactions of many in the Swedish civil society to the Inquiry proposals,
which appear to open the way to a liberalisation of the previously
rather strict rules. We therefore urge you to pay close attention to the following
issues:
1) Human security: The key priority when considering any revision of the
situation should be the human security of civilians in conflict zones – ie the
most vulnerable populations likely to be affected by the policy. This must
take precedence over any potential economic gain at the domestic level.
2) Human rights: The suggestion that the general ban on exports to countries
where human rights are routinely violated in favour of a ‘materielspecific’
approach is surely to soften the sanction against violator regimes.
The international image of such regimes can be falsely ‘improved’ if they
can claim to be clients of a respected state such as Sweden.
3) Democracy: similarly it is alarming that the Swedish government would
consider exporting arms to dictatorships. A government is judged not only
by its actions, but also by its allies and customers. What would this say
about Sweden?
4) Development: while welcoming the introduction of a ‘poverty criterion’
we are concerned at the vagueness of the term and the likelihood that it
will have little practical applicability, especially when the customer state
advances ‘national security’ arguments.
The IPB has always admired the Swedish tradition of vigorous promotion of
democracy, social justice and peace. We believe it would represent a serious
break with that tradition if purely commercial considerations were to triumph
over ethical imperatives. In fact we would urge the government to go further
and give active support to the proposed Arms Trade Treaty, to which other EU
states are now giving political endorsement.
Yours sincerely
Colin Archer
Secretary-General
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