U.N. Commits to International Arms Control Treaty

The $60 billion international arms trade is unregulated. After years of talks, the U.N. set a date last week for finalizing the Arms Trade Treaty.
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U.N. Commits to International Arms Control Treaty
Weapons seized during an operation in Pakistan on November 8, 2012. The UN has agreed to finalize the Arms Trade Treaty in March 2013. HASHAM AHMED/AFP/Getty Images
11/14/2012
Updated:
10/1/2015
<a><img class="size-large wp-image-1774496" src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/155789663.jpg" alt="Weapons seized during an operation in Pakistan" width="590" height="392"/></a>
Weapons seized during an operation in Pakistan

NEW YORK—The overwhelming majority of governments at a United Nations meeting on disarmament last week said they want a treaty to regulate the international trade of conventional weapons and ammunition.

Last July, diplomats from more than 100 countries devoted a month to negotiations that produced a draft Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). However, the draft was not adopted after the United States, followed by Russia and a few other states, requested more time.

After years of talks, the governments at the U.N. General Assembly’s First Committee (which deals with disarmament and international security) in New York agreed to finalize the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) in March 2013. The vote, held on Nov. 7, was 157 in favor, 37 abstentions, and none opposed.