Transparency and the arms register

Transparency, that is, the systematic provision of information under informal or formal international arrangements, was not, until recently, a concept closely associated with the rather secretive field of military security and armaments. Advanced technology has, however, brought such changes in weaponry and altered the understanding of national security so greatly that what was valid yesterday is no longer the rule today. Indeed, in a world that has become much more integrated economically and politically, a world in which security in isolation is no longer possible, there are serious reasons for introducing a large measure of transparency—and the same is true of verification—in matters related to defence policies and armaments, with a view to reducing misunderstanding or miscalculation of military activities and thereby contributing to the development of trust and more stable relations between States. For these reasons, the General Assembly has, in a number of ways, promoted transparency in armaments as part of the general process of confidence-building.

Related Subject(s): Disarmament