The Challenge Of Conventional Arms Proliferation In Southeast Asia

In the prevailing climate of uncertainty and apprehension about Southeast Asia's security outlook in the post-Cold War era, this study looks at the question of whether there is an impending arms race in the region. It examines the factors behind the recent trends towards increased defence spending and force modernisation in countries in the region and what efforts should and can be undertaken to ensure that this build-up does not become a threat to regional security and stability.

This report, jointly sponsored by SIPRI and the Maritime Institute of Malaysia (MIMA), draws together the work of eight experts on armaments and Asia-Pacific security affairs to present analysis and extensive data on arms- and defence-related tranparency mechanisms in South-East Asia. It also includes a de facto arms trade re gister for South-East Asia covering the period 1975-96. The book will prove useful to security analysts and policy makers seeking analysis of and practical approaches to transparency and confidence building in South-East Asia.

The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), adopted in 2013 and in force since 24 December 2014, is the first international legally binding treaty to control the transfers of conventional arms. It aims to establish the highest possible common standards for regulating the international trade in these weapons to prevent and eradicate their illicit trade and to prevent diversion in order to contribute to regional and international peace, security and stability. The ATT does this by setting minimum standards that all countries should introduce and implement at the national level, such as comprehensive legislation, national control lists, case-by-case risk assessment of licence requests, and transparency measures. Since the adoption and entry into force of the Treaty, the goal of the international community has been twofold: to support the Treaty's implementation, and to promote its universalisation. This project aims to support universalisation of the Treaty by identifying barriers and obstacles (e.g. political, administrative, legal, budgetary, technical) to its ratification or accession, and by generating a set of proposals for actions to overcome these, be they at the national, regional or international level. As such, this project contributes to the goals of the United Nations Trust Facility Supporting Cooperation on Arms Regulation (UNSCAR), which include supporting the ratification of, or accession to, the ATT as well as improving the effectiveness of assistance.