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19 April 2005
Ulrica Messing
Minister for Communications and Regional Policy
Ministry of Industry, Employment and Communication
Sweden’s regulations governing arms exports
Dear Minister,
The International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) is the global network of civil
society organisations working to stop the proliferation and misuse of small arms and
light weapons. IANSA members are urging governments to adopt and strictly adhere to
restrictive national and multilateral conventional arms export standards. High standards
on exports are essential to preventing the further proliferation and misuse of arms and
ammunition, the cause of so much suffering.
IANSA is deeply concerned by indications that Sweden’s arms export regulations may
be weakened as a result of the current review of the Swedish military equipment legislation.
We are strongly opposed to the adoption of an export-oriented approach in
Sweden’s arms export legislation. We are also concerned at suggestions that assessment
of the recipient's human rights record will be abandoned if the exported military
equipment is unlikely to be used in human rights violations. Authorising the export of
any military equipment to recipients with poor human rights records sends out a powerful
signal of tacit acceptance of human rights violations.
IANSA members have been encouraged by the existing Swedish arms export legislation,
which established best practices within the European Union and elsewhere.
IANSA members also regularly cite Sweden’s arms export standards as an example for
other states to emulate when they contact governments.
IANSA therefore urges you to prevent a softening of Sweden’s regulations on arms
exports. High national export standards positively distinguish Sweden from other
states, including many in the European Union. High Swedish standards are essential to
preventing proliferation and misuse of arms and ammunition exported by Sweden, and
ultimately to saving lives.
Respectfully,
Rebecca Peters
Director, International Action Network on Small Arms
cc: Laila Freivalds, Minister for Foreign Affairs
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Development House, 56-64 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4JX, UK
ph +44 (0) 20 7065 0870 fax +44 (0) 20 7065 0871 contact@iansa.org www.iansa.org