For all countries problems of arms trade are rather sensitive. Especially if we speak about legal structures, which once upon a time are caught in a “black” deal. But there are also many illegal underground tycoons, which get their super profits without a moment’s hesitation about a moral aspect of their business. Such deals attracted attention even of UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon who recommended to the Security Council to intensify combating illegal arm traffic, which feeds armed conflicts and terror seriously undermining efforts of the world community in strengthening the peace and development.

According to Ban Ki Moon, Security Council experts investigated several cases relating to violation of arms bans and embargos, and revealed international networks involved in illegal arms trade and arms brokerage. Smugglers exploit loopholes in legislations, avoid customs checks and falsify documents.

There are many well-known cases when tens of thousand “guns” just vanished and later emerged in “flashpoints”. In 2001, the United Nations adopted the Program of Action on Small Arms stipulating mandatory licensing of arms export and severe obligations of purchasers. However, experts believe that the Program is fulfilled by 30-40 per cent only.

For example, recently the United States confirmed that 108 thousand small arms vanished only in Iraq. At the same time Washington continues supplies of small arms and even light armored vehicles to Kosovo Albanians yet Kosovo is a recognized a transit point of arm and drug traffic.

Residents of foggy Albion cannot afford to stand back too. For example, in 2005, British authorities approved export of “a radioactive cargo” to Iran, which could be used under the nuclear program.

A British company truck transporting 1000 kg of zircon was detained at the Bulgarian customs in August 2005 due to a very high level of radioactivity. Bulgaria advised Britain on the incident, but that time the British police failed to find and punish guilty persons.

Recently Great Britain again witnessed a scandal, which resulted in uncovering entire network used by British businessmen to supply arms to Iran in violation of the UN sanctions.

According to newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta, the British customs authorities possess a list of seven arms dealers, who concluded deals with the Iranian Ministry of Defense and Islamic Revolution Guardian Corps.

For example, John Knight, a well-known legal arms supplier, was sentenced to four years for an effort to sell 130 rapid-fire machine guns used by the SAS to Iran.

London businessman Mehrdad Salashoor was sentenced to eighteen months of imprisonment for shipping hi-tech navigation equipment adaptable for missile guidance systems to the Iranian military.

At least two other Britons are also being investigated over claims they assisted to Iranian nuclear programme. According to mass media, the suspects had long-standing links to nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, Pakistan's “father of the bomb”, who has admitted helping North Korea, Iran and Libya to implement similar programmes.

Investigators found out that arms contracts were often concluded with a company directly tied with the Iranian Defense Ministry.

After the burst scandal and state prosecution of the businessmen the investigators let everybody see that it is not high treason but just big money, which the arms dealers failed to resist.

However official London is also under cloud. It may be assumed that it is also involved in illegal arms deals violating not only UN sanctions imposed on Tehran but also its own appeals to rigidly regulate the arms market and introduce severe liability for illegal arms trade.

One of the US candidates for the presidential nomination is also facing a problem. Recently Senator John McCain ( R) again blamed on Russia that it hampers imposition of additional efficient sanctions by the United Nations on Iran. In the opinion of McCain, the Western democracies should unite and act upon Iran “in more effective way”. But the British scandal in fact left the American Senator without trump cards.

Against the background of the aforesaid, the blame on Russia for default will look not only absurdly but also recklessly provoking new escalation of confrontation. Furthermore, the British authorities today are more inclined to welcome peaceful initiatives regardless of their originator. London is more inclined to smoother up the awkward facts but not turn itself into ridicule taking into account the fact that previous efforts to blame on Moscow for “the Polonium connection” actually failed.