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Swedish arms sales should depend on buyer's democratic credentials – report Swedish arms sales should depend on buyer's democratic credentials – report
(35 minutes later)
Sweden could become the first country in the world to use a “democracy criterion” to decide which countries it will sell weapons to, according to the report of a cross-party commission on the arms trade. Sweden could become the first country in the world to use a “democracy criterion” to decide to which countries it will sell weapons, according to the report of a cross-party commission on the arms trade.
Stricter rules proposed by the report would mean potential buyers would be judged on the degree to which democratic institutions are in place and how they work, while existing criteria on human rights would be made clearer.Stricter rules proposed by the report would mean potential buyers would be judged on the degree to which democratic institutions are in place and how they work, while existing criteria on human rights would be made clearer.
“No other country has today a democracy criterion in its regulations,” said the commission chairman, Hans Wallmark, a member of Sweden’s Conservatives, the main opposition party.“No other country has today a democracy criterion in its regulations,” said the commission chairman, Hans Wallmark, a member of Sweden’s Conservatives, the main opposition party.
“The recipient state’s democratic status is thus clearly raised as a central condition [for weapons sales],” he wrote in an article accompanying the report on Friday. The flexibility to weigh foreign policy concerns against security and defence considerations would remain, he said. “The recipient state’s democratic status is thus clearly raised as a central condition [for weapons sales],” he wrote on Friday in an article accompanying the report. The flexibility to weigh foreign policy concerns against security and defence considerations would remain, he said.
“Respect for human rights and the receiving state’s democratic status are key conditions for the licensing process,” the report states. “If there are serious and widespread violations of human rights or serious shortcomings in the democratic status of the country, this will be an obstacle to granting authorisation.”“Respect for human rights and the receiving state’s democratic status are key conditions for the licensing process,” the report states. “If there are serious and widespread violations of human rights or serious shortcomings in the democratic status of the country, this will be an obstacle to granting authorisation.”
Related: Clash between Sweden and Saudi Arabia escalates as ambassador is withdrawnRelated: Clash between Sweden and Saudi Arabia escalates as ambassador is withdrawn
Sweden would pay a price for higher moral and ethical requirements, said Lena Hjelm-Wallén, vice-chair of the investigation and a former Social Democratic foreign minister.Sweden would pay a price for higher moral and ethical requirements, said Lena Hjelm-Wallén, vice-chair of the investigation and a former Social Democratic foreign minister.
“The potential markets for defence industry will decline,” she said.“The potential markets for defence industry will decline,” she said.
Sweden’s main business daily attacked the proposals in a leader column arguing that sales of Saab’s Erieye airborne surveillance system to Saudi Arabia meant that Sweden had maintained a world-class radar capacity enabling it to monitor the entire Baltic from a single plane. Swedish arms exports to Saudi Arabia peaked at SKr2.9bn (then about £275m) in 2011 after the sale of Erieye. Sweden’s main business daily attacked the proposals in a leader column, arguing that sales of Saab’s Erieye airborne surveillance system to Saudi Arabia meant that Sweden had maintained a world-class radar capacity enabling it to monitor the entire Baltic from a single plane. Swedish arms exports to Saudi Arabia peaked at SKr2.9bn (then about £275m) in 2011 after the sale of Erieye.
The Erieye was at the centre of a diplomatic dispute in March when Sweden tore up an arms trade agreement with the Saudi government, which in turn broke off diplomatic relations and stopped Sweden’s foreign minister, Margot Wallström, from speaking about human rights to leaders at an Arab League summit. The Erieye was at the centre of a diplomatic dispute in March, when Sweden tore up an arms trade agreement with the Saudi government, which in turn broke off diplomatic relations and stopped Sweden’s foreign minister, Margot Wallström, from speaking about human rights to leaders at an Arab League summit.
But peace and human rights groups also criticised Friday’s proposals as too weak and full of loopholes.But peace and human rights groups also criticised Friday’s proposals as too weak and full of loopholes.
“The wording is not sharp enough to stop arms exports to dictatorships,” Anna Ek, president of the Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society, told the TT news agency. “It will still be possible to sell weapons to countries that violate human rights. It is very disappointing.”“The wording is not sharp enough to stop arms exports to dictatorships,” Anna Ek, president of the Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society, told the TT news agency. “It will still be possible to sell weapons to countries that violate human rights. It is very disappointing.”
“If the defence policy considerations can take precedence, then it is possible to interpret them as they wish,” said Elisabeth Löfgren of Amnesty International. “When there is only one party to vote for, it’s not a democracy, therefore both Saudi Arabia and China are dictatorships – but we will continue to have discussions with these new rules, and there will be much room for interpretation.”“If the defence policy considerations can take precedence, then it is possible to interpret them as they wish,” said Elisabeth Löfgren of Amnesty International. “When there is only one party to vote for, it’s not a democracy, therefore both Saudi Arabia and China are dictatorships – but we will continue to have discussions with these new rules, and there will be much room for interpretation.”
Despite a global reputation for peacemaking, Sweden has become a major world supplier of weapons, and was ranked third for arms exports per capita last year after Israel and Russia, stirring ethical concerns at home.Despite a global reputation for peacemaking, Sweden has become a major world supplier of weapons, and was ranked third for arms exports per capita last year after Israel and Russia, stirring ethical concerns at home.
Welcoming the report on Friday, Wallström said it would put out for consultation and it could be a year before it came back to parliament in the form of legislation. Welcoming the report, Wallström said it would be put out for consultation and it could be a year before it came back to parliament in the form of legislation.