10. Multilateral military-related export control measures

Summary

In 1997 the multilateral regimes concerned
with controlling exports of certain goods with potential military
significance - the Australia Group, the Missile Technology Control
Regime (MTCR), the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and the Wassenaar
Arrangement - continued to increase their membership. The process
of integrating former Warsaw Treaty Organization countries as
well as some former developing countries into these regimes continued.
The European Union export control system for dual-use goods is different
from the other multilateral arrangements under discussion because the
actions taken in the EU and by its agencies are grounded in law.
The activities of the Australia Group continued to be influenced
by the existence of international disarmament treaties - the Chemical
Weapons Convention and the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention
- and the activities of the NSG continued to be influenced by
a treaty banning the transfer of nuclear weapons.