U.S. Spoils Arms Trade Talks for Now, But Fight Goes On

I got this from Amnesty International: 

Dear Tracy,

You have been amazing. You took action to support a strong Arms Trade Treaty. Whether you signed a letter to world leaders, staged a street action in New York City's Times Square, donated money, or shared infographics on your social networks, you made a statement about what's important to you -- a world without irresponsible weapons trades.

That's why I was stunned when the Obama Administration, after weeks of negotiations, did a last minute about-face and scuttled progress toward a global arms treaty that was to have come to closure last Friday.

On the final day (Jul7 27) of the Arms Trade Treaty Conference, at a moment when the 190 assembled delegations thought an agreement was at hand, the U.S., joined by Russia and China, announced they did not have enough time to resolve problems they saw in the text.

Raising eleventh-hour issues with the treaty language and wanting more time to consult with itself, the U.S. slowed momentum that was about to lead to a vital treaty being finalized at the United Nations to curb the global flow of arms and help save some of the 500,000 civilian lives lost each year in armed conflict.

When the talks began a month ago, many feared that China or Russia might sabotage the talks. Few imagined the United States would be the spoiler. Friday's announcement, which followed intensified lobbying by the National Rifle Association, has delayed progress towards regulating the flow of arms around the world. The National Rifle Association is now crowing about its victory in heading off the treaty.

This is definitely not the end of the story. The Obama administration bears heavy responsibility to support moving the talks forward in the coming months and ensuring they reach a successful conclusion. And we’re going to make sure the Administration knows it. With your help, Amnesty International will continue to push for the strongest possible agreement that helps save lives and protects human rights.

It is the hard work and support of Amnesty members, supporters and allies that enables us to collect thousands of petition signatures, rally in the streets, and show the world why we need to regulate the global transfer of weapons. Your voices have been heard, and we will together fight for and win the world’s first Arms Trade Treaty.

Stay tuned for details about what you can do to keep up the fight for an Arms Trade Treaty.

Sincerely,

Suzanne Nossel
Executive Director
Amnesty International USA