Stricter international controls for portable missile exports
A group of 33 nations, including the United States, has agreed to tighten export controls for man-portable air defense systems, also known as MANPADS.
The decision by the Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies reflects the ongoing concern about the use of these weapons against civil aviation targets.
“As we look ahead and consider future threats to international security and stability, we are convinced that countries committed to a stable international order must work together closely to prevent conventional weapons and sensitive dual-use technologies from being used to perpetrate terrorist acts,” the group said in a statement. “Terrorists must be stopped from diverting weapons from legitimate channels.”