United Nations Conference

 on the Arms Trade Treaty

11^th Meeting (AM)

As Conference on Arms Trade Treaty Begins Final Week, Chairs of Committees

 

Negotiating Goals, Scope Brief on Progress

 

As the United Nations Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty entered its final week today, delegates heard an update on negotiations that took place over the weekend.

Reporting the results of a weekend of consultations with the two Main Committees, Conference President Roberto Garcia Moritan of Argentina said there were common elements that made it possible to add depth to the consideration of a number of topics.

Consultations continued over a number of topics and would continue through this week.  Main Committee 2 was negotiating implementation, scope, and final provisions, and Main Committee 1 was negotiating the treaty’s goals, objective, criteria, parameters, principles, and preamble. 

While common ground was achieved in implementation, regrettably in the area of criteria and parameters, additional consultations would be necessary, Mr. Moritan said.

Bouchaid El-Oumni ( Morocco), Chair of Main Committee 1, then presented a paper on a number of topics, including paragraphs on the United Nations Charter that would be included in preambular paragraphs of the draft treaty.  Other topics the paper covered included gender-based violence and assistance to victims of armed conflict. 

Mr. Moritan would present a document on the outcome of the consultations to conference delegates once negotiations were completed.

The Conference ends 27 July, when delegates are scheduled to produce a draft of the treaty.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record