Emirates votes in favor of the Arms Trade Treaty

The United Arab Emirates last night voted in favor of the resolution on the " Global Arms Trade Treaty" during United Nations' general assembly meeting. The countries will sign the treaty as of April 23 this month. The resolution, which regulates the international trade in conventional arms, received 154 votes in favour. Three Member States - Iran, Syria and Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) voted against the decision, while 23 countries abstained. Commenting on the result of the vote, Ambassador Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al Jarman, UAE Permanent Representative to the United Nations, stressed that UAE welcomed the approval of the treaty, noting that UAE's vote in favor of the resolution is based on its faith in the importance of the treaty that provides international mechanism to improve and regulate the trade of weapons in the framework of full respect for the legitimate interests of the States in obtaining weapons for legitimate self-defence. Moreover, it will work on reducing threats and suffering undergo by victims of armed conflicts, especially children and women. It will also save the lives of millions of people. He pointed out that the provisions of this Treaty provide the appropriate framework for international cooperation in the field of conventional arms trade so as to enhance confidence-building among member states. Al Jarman underscored that the UAE's concern about some of the terms of the treaty, particularly that the treaty doesn't include any text guaranteeing the right for all peoples under foreign occupation the right to achieve territorial security and political independence. He also expressed his reservation that the treaty doesn't include any formula to guarantee financing of technical cooperation and assistance fund, through the mandatory contributions of major member states that produce and export weapons to support developing countries in implementing the obligations contained in the treaty.