UN bid to curb arms trade

2006-07-25 12:32

Geneva - Seven nations, spanning five continents, have formally launched an initiative aimed at stifling the supply of weapons that fuel conflicts and terrorism.

In a letter to fellow United Nations members on Monday, Argentina, Australia, Britain, Costa Rica, Finland, Japan and Kenya said they wanted to draw up a global treaty to regulate the international arms trade.

The treaty would help to "prevent, combat and eradicate" the supply of arms "which would be likely to increase crime, conflict and terrorism and displacement of people", read a draft resolution proposed by the seven.

"Our governments consider that the idea of an Arms Trade Treaty is one whose time has come," wrote the UN representatives of the group.

The resolution calls for the establishment of a group of experts who would try to pin down the scope of a treaty.

The proposal will be put to a key UN committee during the general assembly meeting in October, said a western diplomatic source.

He said the arms experts would hopefully be able to work on the treaty through 2007.

There was no target date for the completion of the treaty however, because of the "difficult issues" that surrounded the global arms trade and the "emotive and quite contentious" nature of the detail, said the source.

China and Russia were "supportive" of the principle of a treaty, but the United States reaction was "at best hesitant", partly under the influence of the strong domestic gun lobby in the country, he said.

- AFP