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NATO and the European Union should press Bulgaria to stop transferring weapons to armed forces that are guilty of human rights abuse, Human Rights Watch said today.

In a report released today in Sofia, Human Rights Watch charged that Bulgaria has earned a reputation as an anything-goes weapons bazaar over the last decade. According to the report, Kalashnikov assault rifles, mortars, antitank mines, ammunition, explosives and other items are available for a price—no matter who the buyers are or how they might use the deadly wares.

Bulgaria's accession to NATO and the E.U. should be contingent on the country's adoption and implementation of strict arms trade controls, said Human Rights Watch, an international monitoring organization based in New York.

"If Bulgaria is serious about getting into NATO and the European Union, it should put an end to arms sales to human rights violators," said Joost Hiltermann, executive director of the Arms Division of Human Rights Watch.

Case studies in the 53-page report indicate that Angola, Burundi, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Uganda, among others, all have recently received weapons from Bulgaria. All have been involved in armed conflicts during which serious abuses of human rights have taken place.

The Bulgarian government elected in 1997 has pledged to comply with international arms trade control standards and improve regulatory controls. It has taken some important steps toward reform, including a promise to adhere to the nonbinding E.U. Code of Conduct on Arms Exports. But these changes have been insufficient because, as Hiltermann noted, Bulgaria has a legacy of arms dealing that is not easily shaken. The arms industry is a cornerstone of the post-cold war economy, providing tens of thousands of jobs and bringing in badly needed hard currency, and these factors discourage necessary reform.

The Bulgarian government should not take its international commitments lightly," said Hiltermann. He noted that weapons sales to Ethiopia and Uganda approved late last year contravene the E.U. Code of Conduct, to which Bulgaria says it subscribes.

Bulgaria's arms business is characterized by weak policy guidelines, poor regulatory enforcement, and a lack of accountability. Bulgaria has failed to introduce human rights considerations into arms trade law; has failed to ensure that arms approved for export or transport out of Bulgaria are not diverted to unauthorized end users; and has failed to prosecute anyone for violating arms trade laws. Widespread corruption hampers arms trade control efforts.

In an example of a conflict of interest, several government officials with responsibility over arms trade controls simultaneously serve on the boards of state arms trading companies. Human Rights Watch is aware of only one recent case, in October 1998, when the government halted a suspicious arms transaction. The transaction involved the sale of surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), apparently to an armed force in Africa that is under an international arms embargo.

Human Rights Watch does not take a position against the production of arms, nor does it object in principle to the export or transport of weapons intended to meet legitimate defense needs. Rather, it holds that governments must ensure that they engage in the international arms trade responsibly.

This position takes on additional urgency in light of current NATO expansion. The alliance's move eastward is prompting aspiring members to upgrade their weapons to NATO standards. As a result, huge stocks of surplus weapons are expected to be dumped onto the open market, driving down prices and thereby making sophisticated weapons more affordable to the least disciplined and least accountable armed forces in areas of violent conflict around the world.

The Human Rights Watch report made recommendations for significant change on five fronts. First, Bulgaria must improve its arms control policy to take into account the human rights impact of the country's arms trade. Second, it must address the weaknesses in its regulatory system, including corruption and a low capacity for monitoring. Third, it must undertake to hold responsible
those who engage in arms trade activities that violate Bulgarian law or Bulgaria's international commitments. Fourth, it must improve transparency with regard to the arms trade in order to enhance oversight. Finally, it must undertake to dispose of surplus weapons responsibly.

Human Rights Watch also believes that multilateral institutions such as NATO and the European Union should define arms trade norms for members, and make joining those organizations contingent on following such norms. Otherwise, these institutions will share responsibility for the use of these weapons by armed forces with a record of gross human rights abuse.

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