May 16, 2012 | New Delhi, India

PGA President Ross Robertson MP (New Zealand) accompanied by Chair of PGA National Group of India EMS Natchiappan MP and PGA Director of Projects, Peter A. Barcroft met earlier this afternoon with Mrs. Preneet Kaur, Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs of India.

In a wide-ranging discussion and exchange of views, Ross Robertson MP provided the Minister of State with a broad overview of the work of the 3 Programs of PGA. Mr. Robertson also informed the Minister of State about the purpose of his visit to India. At the invitation of the PGA National Group in the Parliament of India, Mr. Robertson was to brief later in the day a group of 20 prominent MPs from all regions of India on the Arms Trade Treaty and to provide additional information/clarifications, as needed. Mr. Robertson and Mr. Natchiappan also furnished the Minister with further details on the Control Arms Global Parliamentary Declaration on the Arms Trade Treaty, including the fact that more than 2,100 MPs from 114 countries worldwide have signed this Declaration.

The Minister noted the important objectives of the Arms Trade Treaty and encouraged Mr. Natchiappan to meet with the relevant senior official within the UN Department of the External Relations Ministry to discuss with him the ATT Parliamentary Briefing for Indian MPs taking place later in the day.

During the course of his meeting with the Minister of State, Mr. Robertson (and Mr. Barcroft) also took the opportunity to brief the Minister of State at some length on the work of the Sustainable Development and Population Program of PGA, providing her with some further background information on recent activities of the Program. The Minister of State showed very considerable interest and enthusiasm for a suggestion made by the PGA President that PGA wished to organize a Workshop in the context of this Program in India next year, in which the Minister offered her support.

Later in the day, Ross Robertson, EMS Natchiappan and Peter Barcroft briefed a group of MPs from all regions of India on the importance of the Arms Trade Treaty, including providing clarification on the precise goals of this global initiative currently before the United Nations.

Following the conclusion of the meeting, a total of 40 Members of Parliament from India signed the Global Parliamentary Declaration on the ATT and a large number of MPs became members of PGA.

CONTACT: Peter Barcroft, Director of Projects and Senior Program Officer
PGA Headquarters - New York
T: 1 917 414 0254 - E: peter.barcroft@pgaction.org