UN Assembly Approves Gun-Control Treaty
(CNSNews.com) - The United Nations General Assembly Thursday approved a gun control treaty that calls on all nations to work together "to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components, and ammunition." The treaty is supposed to make it easier to crack down on illegal gun trafficking by helping authorities trace the global movement of all new weapons. The treaty must be signed and ratified by at least 40 countries before it becomes international law. The signing period runs from July 1 through Dec. 12, 2002. Under terms of the treaty, all new firearms would have to be marked with a serial number and the place of manufacture; nations would have to set up import-export licensing procedures; and they would also be required to keep records on all guns, parts, and ammunition made within their borders for ten years. The treaty also calls on nations to pass laws making the illicit manufacture and sale of firearms a criminal offense. Press reports said numerous countries have concerns about the treaty, which raises questions about whether it will ever take effect.
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