Arms embargo

An arms embargo is a restriction or a set of sanctions that applies either solely to weaponry or also to "dual-use technology." An arms embargo may serve one or more purposes:

• to signal disapproval of the behavior of a certain actor
• to maintain neutrality in an ongoing conflict
• as a peace mechanism that is part of a peace process to resolve an armed conflict^[1]
• to limit the ability of an actor to inflict violence on others
• to weaken a country's military capabilities before a foreign intervention

Historical examples

Argentina

US President Jimmy Carter imposed an arms embargo on the military government of Argentina in 1977 in response to human rights abuses.^[2]

An arms embargo was put in place, along with other economic sanctions by the European Economic Community (EEC), within a week of the 1982 invasion of the Falkland Islands by Argentina, two British dependent territories in the South Atlantic.^[3] The European nations ended the embargo after the end of the ensuing Falklands War, and Argentina looked to Western European countries and Israel for arms supplies during the US embargo until it was lifted in 1989.^[2]

Indonesia

The US government imposed an arms embargo against Indonesia in 1999 because of human rights violations in East Timor. The embargo was lifted in 2005.

Iran

The United States imposed economic sanctions against Iran following the Iranian Revolution in 1979. However, to secure the release of American hostages, several senior Reagan administration officials secretly facilitated the sale of arms to Iran in the 1980s in a scandal called the Iran–Contra affair.^[4] In 1995, the US expanded sanctions to include firms dealing with the Iranian government.^[5]

In March 2007, UN Security Council Resolution 1747 tightened the sanctions imposed on Iran in connection with the Iranian nuclear program. The sanctions were lifted on 16 January 2016.

In September 2020, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the imposition of an arms embargo on the Iranian Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics and other entities involved in Iran's nuclear program, including the government of the disputed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro for providing weapons to Iran.^[6]

On 18 October 2020, Iran announced that the United Nations conventional arms embargo imposed on the country in 2007 had expired. The embargo had barred Iran from purchasing arms, including tanks and fighter jets, from foreign nations. The embargo was lifted as per the conditions under Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world leaders, despite US objections.^{[7] [8]}

People's Republic of China

The United States and the European Union stopped exporting arms to China after 1989 after the violent suppression of protests in Tiananmen Square. In 2004 and 2005, there was some debate in the EU over whether to lift the embargo.^[9][10]

South Africa

UN Security Council Resolution 418 applied an arms embargo of South Africa in 1977 on dual-use items. The embargo was lifted by Resolution 919 in 1994.

United States

To protest the Vietnam War, Sweden imposed an arms embargo on the United States in 1966.^{[11][better source needed]} That notably deprived Navy SEALs of the Carl Gustav m/45 submachine gun, which resulted in the creation of the Smith & Wesson M76.

List of current arms embargoes

The countries included in the list are under arms embargo of the UN or another international organization such as the EU and the OSCE and others) or a country. In some cases the arms embargo is supplemented by a general trade embargo, other sanctions (financial), or travel ban for specific persons. In some cases, the arms embargo applies to any entity residing or established in the country, but in others. it is partial with the recognized government's forces and international peacekeepers being exempted from the embargo.

Arms embargo by UN

• Central African Republic (by UN, EU),^[12] 2013–
• Democratic Republic of the Congo (non-governmental forces by UN, EU),^[13] 2003/1993–
• Haiti (by UN),^[14] 2022-
• Iraq (non-governmental forces by UN, EU),^[15] 2004–
• Libya (by UN, EU) 2011–^[16][1]
• North Korea (by UN, EU),^[17] arms and luxury goods, 2006–
• Lebanon (non-governmental forces by UN, EU),^[18] 2006–
• Somalia (by UN, EU),^[19] 1992/2002– (UN/EU)
• South Sudan (by UN) 2018–
• Sudan (by UN, EU),^[20] 2004/1994– (UN/EU)
• Yemen (by UN, EU),^[14] 2015-

Former embargos

• Eritrea (by UN, EU),^[21] 2010–2018
• Guinea (by EU),^[22] 2009–2014^[14]
• Iran (by UN, EU),^[23] 2006–2020 ^[24]
• Ivory Coast (by UN, EU),^[25] 2004–2016^[26]
• Rwanda (by UN in Resolution 918 and EU)^[27] (UN: 1994–2008, EU^{[citation needed]})
• Sierra Leone (by UN and EU),^[28] 1997–2010^[29]
• Yugoslavia (by UN in Resolution 713 and EU)^[30] (UN/EU: September 1991)^[31][32]

Arms embargo by others

• Argentina (by the United Kingdom)^[33][34] 1982-
• Armenia (by OSCE),^[35] 1992–
• Azerbaijan (by OSCE),^[36] 1992–
• Belarus (by EU),^[14] 2011-
• Cuba (by US),^[37] 1958–
• Egypt (by EU),^[14] 2013-
• Myanmar (by EU),^[38] 1990–
• People's Republic of China (by EU/US),^[39][40] 1989–
• Venezuela (by EU),^[14] 2017-
• Syria (by the Arab League),^[14] 2011-
• Zimbabwe (by EU),^[41] 2002–

Former embargos

• Syria (by EU),^[42] 2011–2013^[43]
• Turkey (by USA) 1975–1978^[44]
• Uzbekistan (by EU),^[45] 2005–2009^[46]
• Vietnam (by US) 1984–1995

See also

• Arms control
• Arms Export Control Act (United States)
• Arms industry

References

1. "Remarks of SRSG Ghassan Salamé to the United Nations Security Council on the situation in Libya 29 July 2019". UNSMIL. 2019-07-29. Archived from the original on 2019-09-09. Retrieved 2019-09-09.
2. "WORLD : U.S. Ends Argentine Arms Embargo - Los Angeles Times". Los Angelete Times. 21 February 1989.
3. R.W. Apple Jr. (11 April 1982). "EUROPEANS ENDING ARGENTINE IMPORTS IN FALKLAND CRISIS". The New York Times.
4. The Iran-Contra Affair 20 Years On 2015-03-20 at the Wayback Machine. The National Security Archive (George Washington University), 2006-11-24
5. Ariel Zirulnick (24 February 2011). "Sanction Qaddafi? How 5 nations have reacted to sanctions: Iran". The Christian Science Monitor. from the original on 15 November 2011. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
6. "Trump administration sanctions Iranian Defense Ministry, Venezuela's Maduro for aiding Iran's weapons programs". CNBC. 21 September 2020.
7. "Iran says UN arms embargo lifted, allowing it to buy weapons". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
8. "UN arms embargoes on Iran expire despite US objections". Associated Press. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
9. http://www.sldinfo.com/the-eu-arms-embargo-repeal-debate/ 2015-06-07 at the Wayback Machine The EU Arms Embargo Repeal Debate
10. https://www.academia.edu/5475879/The_EU_Arms_Embargo_on_China_a_Swedish_Perspective_2010_/ 2018-09-28 at the Wayback Machine Hellström, Jerker (2010) "The EU Arms Embargo on China: a Swedish Perspective", Swedish Defence Research Agency
11. Rottman, Gordon L. (2013). The Big Book of Gun Trivia: Everything you want to know, don't want to know, and don't know you need to know. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 54. ISBN 978-1-78200-949-8.
12. Security Council arms embargo July 4, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
13. DR Congo arms embargo Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. January 18, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
14. "Arms embargoes | SIPRI". www.sipri.org. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
15. Iraq embargo Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. June 9, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
16. "UN Security Council keeps Libya arms embargo in place". Al Jazeera English. March 28, 2015. from the original on July 9, 2015. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
17. "Embargoes and sanctions on Democratic People's Republic of Korea". GOV.UK. 4 June 2013. from the original on 25 March 2019. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
18. Lebanon embargo Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. February 14, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
19. Somalia embargo January 18, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
20. Sudan embargo January 18, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
21. EU Sanctions measures March 31, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
22. EU Guinea embargo January 18, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
23. Iran embargo November 25, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
24. "Iran says UN arms embargo lifted, allowing it to buy weapons". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
25. Ivory Coast embargo Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. May 8, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
26. "S/RES/2283(2016) - E - S/RES/2283(2016) -Desktop". undocs.org. Retrieved 2022-01-07.
27. Rwanda embargo February 18, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
28. Wontner, Edwina (3 March 2010). "Export Controls: Sanctions and Embargoes: Sierra Leone". webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 4 March 2010. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
29. "UN lifts arms embargo on Sierra Leone". foxnews.com. 29 September 2010. from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
30. United Nations Security Council Resolution 713
31. "EU arms embargo on the former SFR of Yugoslavia (Bosnia and Herzegovina) | SIPRI". www.sipri.org. from the original on 2018-08-31. Retrieved 2018-08-31.
32. "EU arms embargo on the former SFR of Yugoslavia (Bosnia and Herzegovina) - SIPRI". www.sipri.org. from the original on 2018-08-31. Retrieved 2018-08-31.
33. "UK shoots down Argentine FA-50 deal".
34. "Export licensing policy for Argentina".
35. OSCE Nagorno Karabakh arms embargo June 4, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
36. OSCE Nagorno Karabakh arms embargo June 4, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
37. US Cuba arms embargo
38. EU Myanmar arms embargo January 18, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
39. EU China arms embargo January 18, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
40. US China arms embargo October 23, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
41. EU Zimbabwe embargo June 4, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
42. Brussels, Associated Press in (9 May 2011). "EU imposes arms embargo on Syria". the Guardian. from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
43. Traynor, Ian (28 May 2013). "UK forces EU to lift embargo on Syria rebel arms". the Guardian. from the original on 24 January 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
44. "US Arms Embargo against Turkey – after 30 Years, An Institutional Approach towards US Policy Making" (PDF). sam.gov.tr. (PDF) from the original on 24 January 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
45. EU Uzbekistan embargo December 13, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
46. . Archived from the original on 2016-05-07. Retrieved 2015-11-09.

External links

• Hellström, Jerker (2010) "The EU Arms Embargo on China: a Swedish Perspective", Swedish Defence Research Agency
• SIPRI database of multilateral arms embargoes since 1950