Foreign Office Minister answers questions on Arms Trade Treaty via Twitter
As the negotiations at the United Nations on the Arms Trade Treaty head into the final week, Foreign Office Minister for Counter Proliferation Alistair Burt answered your questions on the UK鈥檚 position on the Arms Trade Treaty live via Twitter.
Over the last six years, the UK has led international efforts to agree a robust and effective Arms Trade Treaty. We believe international regulation of the arms trade is urgently needed. Mr Burt recently travelled to New York to show the UK鈥檚 firm support for the negotiations and to engage personally in working to persuade key states to agree to a strong treaty. We are determined to spare no effort to ensure these negotiations have the best possible chance of success, despite the real challenges they face. This work is coming to a head at the United Nations in New York where intensive negotiations on the text of a treaty are due to conclude at the end of this week.
In advance of the conclusion of these negotiations, Mr Burt answered your questions on the UK鈥檚 position on the Arms Trade Treaty live on 24 July via the Twitter account. Questions were submitted to Mr Burt using the hashtag .
You can read the Q&A below.
Can UK get Russia/China onboard without compromising on human rights criteria? On this, no compromise! @
鈥� Amnesty Scotland (@AmnestyScotland)
@ we鈥檙e trying. Huge effort being made in New York and capitals to bridge the gaps. AB.
鈥� Foreign Office (FCO) (@foreignoffice)
.@ in a negotiation, some pressure is public and some private. Those in New York know how hard we are pushing. AB.
鈥� Foreign Office (FCO) (@foreignoffice)
.@ statement unnecessary after 6 years of leading negotiations to demonstrate UK鈥檚 position. UK not backing down. AB.
鈥� Foreign Office (FCO) (@foreignoffice)
.@ We use both direct contact with countries & international groupings to convey 6 yrs of determination to secure ATT. AB.
鈥� Foreign Office (FCO) (@foreignoffice)
.@ Yes. Talking to them in New York and Washington. AB.
鈥� Foreign Office (FCO) (@foreignoffice)
.@ we have red lines which we will not cross & we will not sign just a piece of paper & we make this very clear. AB.
鈥� Foreign Office (FCO) (@foreignoffice)
.@ At this stage we are sticking to plan A for the robust treaty. No matter what happens we will be able to bank progress. AB.
鈥� Foreign Office (FCO) (@foreignoffice)
.@ It is our intention to see these provision written into the . We are pushing hard for this. AB
鈥� Foreign Office (FCO) (@foreignoffice)
.@ We have. 皇冠体育appre is no evidence from what we have said or done from PM downwards to show anything other than determination. AB.
鈥� Foreign Office (FCO) (@foreignoffice)
.@ Don鈥檛 confuse need to bind in others with willingness to accept a text that is weak. UK won鈥檛 sign up to this. AB.
鈥� Foreign Office (FCO) (@foreignoffice)
.@ is frustrating for.our hardworking team to confront unreasonable concerns at such a late stage. AB
鈥� Foreign Office (FCO) (@foreignoffice)
. @ they work through the night to overcome these. AB
鈥� Foreign Office (FCO) (@foreignoffice)
.@ At the end of the day you can鈥檛 force other states - you can either persuade or walk away. We will do what we think is right. AB.
鈥� Foreign Office (FCO) (@foreignoffice)
.@ We have made no secret of how fundamental this is. AB.
鈥� Foreign Office (FCO) (@foreignoffice)
.@ no. We have robust arms exports controls. It is in the interests of UK industry that others move towards the same. AB
鈥� Foreign Office (FCO) (@foreignoffice)
.@ It鈥檚 a balance. To be effective, enough countries have to sign it & the US are very important but so are others. AB.
鈥� Foreign Office (FCO) (@foreignoffice)
.@ It sounds trite but the could make the world that bit safer for the most vulnerable. It鈥檚 worth having a go at. AB.
鈥� Foreign Office (FCO) (@foreignoffice)
Thanks for all your questions to Minister Burt. Transcript will be available shortly.
鈥� Foreign Office (FCO) (@foreignoffice)