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Rh the six cumulative conditions that must be satisfied. Proelium Law called for a workable international definition that “adequately differentiates PMSCs used to build capability for corrupt governments and those which are legitimate businesses”.316

78. Perhaps implicitly recognising these ambiguities, the UK Government expressed a desire to “build consensus around responsible state behaviour and competition” when it comes to states’ use of PMCs. It promotes international voluntary initiatives to encourage responsible practices among PMSCs themselves. There is also domestic regulation of companies. The Government has limited interest in changing the existing national regulation or non-voluntary initiatives, believing that its current approach “provide[s] the necessary safeguards” for PMSC activities. The fact that the Government has no plans to ratify the UN Mercenaries Convention (an international treaty designed to ban the recruitment, use or financing of mercenaries) due to disagreements with its definitions, would suggest that this is not as clear as the Government asserts.

79. Transparency International called international voluntary initiatives a “step in the right direction”, but warned of their limited support among states. KCL academic Christopher Kinsey and Col. Christopher Mayer (US Army Retd) have warned that recent changes to the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Services may inadvertently provide greater legitimacy to organisations like the Wagner Network, because they appear to have made it more acceptable for PMSCs to carry out offensive activities.

80. Our predecessor committee carried out a detailed report in 2002 into PMCs, responding to the Government’s Green Paper (June 2002) outlining different legislative