(TURKISH JOURNAL)
Kathi Lynn Austin, former UN arms inv
estigator and Executive Director of the Conflict Awareness Project gave details of her investigation. Jeff Abramson, Director, Control Arms Secretariat also commented on trafficking and the Arms Trade Treaty in their press briffing at the United Nations Headquarters.
Austin who is just back from an in depth two month investigation in Mauritius, UAE and South Africa. She gave details of a live trafficking network of illegal arms dealers who are directly linked to convicted international Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. According the her lastest reports, the illicit trafficking network, which includes transporters, offshore companies, banks, insurance companies, spans from Russia, Iran, UAE, Congo, Sudan to the US, South Africa and the UK.
The results of the investigation showed how existing loopholes and the lack of global rules on arms trade, particularly on brokers and transport agents allow arms traffickers to operate and make money in a shadowy world with impunity.
The press briefing came as over 190 governments are negotiating the first Arms Trade Treaty at the United Nations from July 2 to 27.
