Beyond the reach of state monopoly controls
A comparative overview of Russian controls on arms brokering
In a globalised world, arms control play a fundamental role in the maintenance of international peace and security and, in recent times, considerable efforts have been made to stem the ease with which weapons can be transported. Increasingly, there is recognition that illegal arms proliferation can only be prevented through international cooperation. Yet, efforts to strengthen national arms legislation and regional and multilateral regimes have demonstrated a fundamental area of concern: arms brokering.By exploiting weaknesses in national legislation and differences between legal jurisdiction in different countries, arms brokers can organise the transfer of weapons to destinations of concern without being liable for prosecution under any national laws.
At the moment, many of the issues surrounding arms brokering are approached differently by different states, in everything from threat perceptions and definitions of brokering through to proposals for how to strengthen international controls. This short paper therefore aims to contribute to this dialogue. It presents current international thinking on controls over arms brokering to a Russian audience, comparing and contrasting the way in which brokering is controlled in Russia with similar efforts in other countries. In so doing, it seeks to promote debate within Russia and internationally about how Russia can work with other states to strengthen controls over arms brokering.
