Embargo that applies to weaponry
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–
South Sudan (by UN) 2018–
Sudan (by
UN , EU),
[19] 2004/1994– (UN/EU)
Yemen (by UN, EU),
[14] 2015-
Former embargos
Eritrea (by
UN , EU),
[20] 2010–2018
Guinea (by EU),
[21] 2009–2014
[14]
Iran (by
UN , EU),
[22] 2006–2020
[23]
Ivory Coast (by
UN , EU),
[24] 2004–2016
[25]
Rwanda (by UN in
Resolution 918 and EU)
[26] (UN: 1994–2008, EU[
citation needed ] )
Sierra Leone (by UN and EU),
[27] 1997–2010
[28]
Somalia (by
UN , EU),
[29] 1992/2002–2023 (UN/EU)
[30]
Yugoslavia (by UN in
Resolution 713 and EU)
[31] (UN/EU: September 1991)
[32]
[33]
Arms embargo by others
Argentina (by the
United Kingdom )
[34]
[35] 1982-
Armenia (by OSCE),
[36] 1992–
Azerbaijan (by OSCE),
[37] 1992–
Belarus (by EU),
[14] 2011-
Cuba (by US),
[38] 1958–
Egypt (by EU),
[14] 2013-
Myanmar (by EU),
[39] 1990–
People's Republic of China (by EU/US),
[40]
[41] 1989–
Venezuela (by EU),
[14] 2017-
Syria (by the Arab League),
[14] 2011-
Zimbabwe (by EU),
[42] 2002–
Former embargos
See also
References
^
a
b
"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 .
^
a
b
"WORLD : U.S. Ends Argentine Arms Embargo - Los Angeles Times" . Los Angelete Times . 21 February 1989.
^ R.W. Apple Jr. (11 April 1982).
"EUROPEANS ENDING ARGENTINE IMPORTS IN FALKLAND CRISIS" . The New York Times .
^
The Iran-Contra Affair 20 Years On
Archived 2015-03-20 at the
Wayback Machine . The National Security Archive (George Washington University), 2006-11-24
^ Ariel Zirulnick (24 February 2011).
"Sanction Qaddafi? How 5 nations have reacted to sanctions: Iran" . The Christian Science Monitor .
Archived from the original on 15 November 2011. Retrieved 13 February 2012 .
^
"Trump administration sanctions Iranian Defense Ministry, Venezuela's Maduro for aiding Iran's weapons programs" . CNBC . 21 September 2020.
^
"Iran says UN arms embargo lifted, allowing it to buy weapons" . Deutsche Welle . Retrieved 18 October 2020 .
^
"UN arms embargoes on Iran expire despite US objections" . Associated Press . Retrieved 18 October 2020 .
^
http://www.sldinfo.com/the-eu-arms-embargo-repeal-debate/
Archived 2015-06-07 at the
Wayback Machine The EU Arms Embargo Repeal Debate
^
https://www.academia.edu/5475879/The_EU_Arms_Embargo_on_China_a_Swedish_Perspective_2010_/
Archived 2018-09-28 at the
Wayback Machine Hellström, Jerker (2010) "The EU Arms Embargo on China: a Swedish Perspective", Swedish Defence Research Agency
^ 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 .
^
Security Council arms embargo
Archived July 4, 2014, at the
Wayback Machine
^
DR Congo arms embargo
Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform .
Archived January 18, 2010, at the
Wayback Machine
^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
"Arms embargoes | SIPRI" . www.sipri.org . Retrieved 2023-10-01 .
^
Iraq embargo
Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform .
Archived June 9, 2009, at the
Wayback Machine
^
"UN Security Council keeps Libya arms embargo in place" .
Al Jazeera English . March 28, 2015.
Archived from the original on July 9, 2015. Retrieved August 5, 2015 .
^
"Embargoes and sanctions on Democratic People's Republic of Korea" . GOV.UK . 4 June 2013.
Archived from the original on 25 March 2019. Retrieved 25 March 2019 .
^
Lebanon embargo
Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform .
Archived February 14, 2010, at the
Wayback Machine
^
Sudan embargo
Archived January 18, 2010, at the
Wayback Machine
^
EU Sanctions measures
Archived March 31, 2010, at the
Wayback Machine
^
EU Guinea embargo
Archived January 18, 2010, at the
Wayback Machine
^
Iran embargo
Archived November 25, 2009, at the
Wayback Machine
^
"Iran says UN arms embargo lifted, allowing it to buy weapons" . Deutsche Welle . Retrieved 18 October 2020 .
^
Ivory Coast embargo
Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform .
Archived May 8, 2009, at the
Wayback Machine
^
"S/RES/2283(2016) - E - S/RES/2283(2016) -Desktop" . undocs.org . Retrieved 2022-01-07 .
^
Rwanda embargo
Archived February 18, 2010, at the
Wayback Machine
^ 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 .
^
"UN lifts arms embargo on Sierra Leone" . foxnews.com . 29 September 2010.
Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2018 .
^
Somalia embargo
Archived January 18, 2010, at the
Wayback Machine
^
"Security Council Lifts Arms Embargo on Federal Government of Somalia, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2714 (2023) | UN Press" . press.un.org . Retrieved 2023-12-02 .
^
United Nations Security Council Resolution 713
^
"EU arms embargo on the former SFR of Yugoslavia (Bosnia and Herzegovina) | SIPRI" . www.sipri.org . 12 November 2012.
Archived from the original on 2018-08-31. Retrieved 2018-08-31 .
^
"EU arms embargo on the former SFR of Yugoslavia (Bosnia and Herzegovina) - SIPRI" . www.sipri.org . 12 November 2012.
Archived from the original on 2018-08-31. Retrieved 2018-08-31 .
^
"UK shoots down Argentine FA-50 deal" .
^
"Export licensing policy for Argentina" .
^
OSCE Nagorno Karabakh arms embargo
Archived June 4, 2009, at the
Wayback Machine
^
OSCE Nagorno Karabakh arms embargo
Archived June 4, 2009, at the
Wayback Machine
^
US Cuba arms embargo
^
EU Myanmar arms embargo
Archived January 18, 2010, at the
Wayback Machine
^
EU China arms embargo
Archived January 18, 2010, at the
Wayback Machine
^
US China arms embargo
Archived October 23, 2008, at the
Wayback Machine
^
EU Zimbabwe embargo
Archived June 4, 2009, at the
Wayback Machine
^ Brussels, Associated Press in (9 May 2011).
"EU imposes arms embargo on Syria" . the Guardian .
Archived from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2018 .
^ Traynor, Ian (28 May 2013).
"UK forces EU to lift embargo on Syria rebel arms" . the Guardian .
Archived from the original on 24 January 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2018 .
^
"US Arms Embargo against Turkey – after 30 Years, An Institutional Approach towards US Policy Making" (PDF) . sam.gov.tr .
Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 January 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2018 .
^
EU Uzbekistan embargo
Archived December 13, 2009, at the
Wayback Machine
^
"EU arms embargo on Uzbekistan — www.sipri.org" . Archived from
the original on 2016-05-07. Retrieved 2015-11-09 .
External links