Transparency in Armaments / Military confidence-building measures 28 February, 2013

UN instruments on confidence-building measures / arms transparency - UN Register of Conventional Arms (1992-) - UN Report on Military Expenditures (MilEx) (1981-) - Information on Confidence-Building Measures (2004-)

UN Register of Conventional Arms -Since More than 120 States participated at least once -Reporting through: Standard form; nil form; small arms form Reporting deadline: 31 May

UN Register of Conventional Arms Core reporting: 1. Battle tanks 2. Armoured combat vehicles 3. Large-calibre artillery systems 4. Combat aircraft 5. Attack helicopters 6. Warships 7. Missiles and missile-launchers Are these the same categories as the Inter-American Convention on Transparency in Conventional Weapons Acquisitions?

UN Register of Conventional Arms Reporting additional information: - Military holdings - Procurement through national production - Transfers in small arms - Information on national points of contact - Policy on export and import of conventional arms.

OAS participation in UN Register - All 35 States participated at least once since Downward trend

- Interactive map - Comparison of reports

Comparison of: What country reported vs. what others reported as transfers to/from that country

Main point for discussion: How to maintain the link between the UN Register and the Inter-American Convention on Transparency in Conventional Weapons Acquisitions Reporting burden Inter-American Convention mirrors the UN Register The UN Register has a built-in development / expansion of its categories, through a 3-year cycle of ‘Groups of Governmental Experts’.

UN Report on Military Expenditures (MilEx) - Since More than 120 States participated at least once - Reporting through: Standard form; simplified form; nil form - Reporting deadline: 30 April

Standard form

Simplified form Land forces Naval forces Air forcesOthersTotal 1. Personnel 2. Operations and maintenance 3. Procurement and construction (investments) 4. Research and development 5. Total

Nil reporting form

OAS participation in MilEx - 26 OAS States have submitted at least once - Average 9 reports by OAS since 2009

Information on Confidence-building Measures - General Assembly resolution since OAS States have provided information - UN database: - UN report in 2011, with inventory of CBMs:

1. Information exchange measures Appointment of military points of contact Establishment of a hotline Exchange of military information on national forces and armaments Advance notification of military manoeuvers / activities 2. Observation and verification measures Observers to monitor major military exercises On-site inspection 3. Military constraint measures Restriction on the number and scope of military exercises Limitations of troop movements De-alerting of weapons Demilitarized and weapon-free zones

Avenues for further cooperation Cooperation on regional activities Exchange of information between Secretariats on all three instruments: - UN Register reporting trends, notifications - MilEx reporting trends, notifications - Inventory of CBMs Alignment of reporting Discussion on pros and cons of global and regional databases The elephant in the room...