U.N. plans vote on arms deal regulations
UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. General Assembly is expected to vote Tuesday on what would be the first U.N. treaty regulating the estimated $60 billion international arms trade after Iran, North Korea and Syria blocked its adoption by consensus.
Assembly spokesman Nikola Jovanovic said Monday the resolution to adopt the treaty requires support from a majority of the 193 U.N. member states. Since the treaty had strong support when it was brought before U.N. members last Thursday, its approval is virtually certain, unless there are attempts to amend it before the vote.
The draft resolution, obtained by AP, would adopt the Arms Trade Treaty that was put to members last week.
It would not control the domestic use of weapons in any country, but it would require all nations to establish national regulations to control the transfer of conventional arms, parts and components and to regulate arms brokers. It would prohibit states that ratify the treaty from transferring conventional weapons if they violate arms embargoes or if they promote acts of genocide, or war crimes.
The final draft made the human rights provision stronger, adding that the export of conventional arms should be prohibited if they could be used in attacks on civilians or civilian buildings such as schools and hospitals.