21 August 2009
A HOPEFUL STEP TOWARDS INTERNATIONAL WEAPONS CONTROL
An estimated 2000 people die as a result of armed violence and over 1,000,000 guns are lost or stolen in the world every year.
Such statistics have given rise to the Control Arms campaign for a strong treaty that will control transfers of all arms and ammunition with tough criteria to stop them from getting into the wrong hands.
At the UN discussions on an Arms Trade Treaty which resumed last month, there were signs of hope that the world may finally be ready to move towards acting on this issue.
For the first time all governments agreed that international action is needed to address the problem of the unregulated arms trade with almost no States seriously questioning the merit of developing international regulations. A majority of the countries urged that negotiations should begin on an Arms Trade Treaty thereby giving a clear message that a small number of States must no longer block the desire of the overwhelming majority for a legally binding Arms Trade Treaty.
Negotiations toward such a treaty will recommence in October.
Such statistics have given rise to the Control Arms campaign for a strong treaty that will control transfers of all arms and ammunition with tough criteria to stop them from getting into the wrong hands.
At the UN discussions on an Arms Trade Treaty which resumed last month, there were signs of hope that the world may finally be ready to move towards acting on this issue.
For the first time all governments agreed that international action is needed to address the problem of the unregulated arms trade with almost no States seriously questioning the merit of developing international regulations. A majority of the countries urged that negotiations should begin on an Arms Trade Treaty thereby giving a clear message that a small number of States must no longer block the desire of the overwhelming majority for a legally binding Arms Trade Treaty.
Negotiations toward such a treaty will recommence in October.
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