Statement by EU High Representative Catherine Ashton on the conclusion of the UN Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty

EU News 159/2013

Brussels, 29 March 2013
A 176/13

The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission issued the following statement today:

"I regret that the UN Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) has not succeeded in adopting this new international instrument aiming at making trade in conventional arms more responsible and transparent.

However, the Conference elaborated a draft Treaty that was extremely close to being agreed by consensus. It is now crucial to capitalise on the efforts that the international community has spent in this process. There is great momentum to be seized to conclude the elaboration of an ATT and the UN General Assembly should take swift action to this end.

The ATT has a huge potential to contribute to international peace, security and stability and to reduce human suffering, and is an objective that the international community has an obligation to deliver. The EU has played an important role throughout the negotiating process and remains determined to secure an Arms Trade Treaty as soon as possible."

Source: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/136614.pdf

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