Russia, U.S. 'arm in arm'

UNITED NATIONS, JULY 11. With Europeans criticising the U.S. at a U.N. arms conference for rebuffing strong curbs on weapons trafficking, fellow arms producer Russia also warned against restrictions on legitimate weapons trade.

Washington had thrown down the gauntlet on the opening day of a two-week U.N. conference seeking ways to control illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons, which the U.N. says are fuelling civil wars around the globe.

Some 189 nations are trying to devise a voluntary agreement to curb the trade in international weapons.

In a frank speech at the start of the conference on Monday, the Bush administration said it would oppose provisions in a U.N. draft that impinged on rights of citizens to bear arms or put restrictions on legal trade and arms producers.

``The United States will not join consensus on a final document that contains measures contrary to our constitutional right to keep and bear arms,'' said Mr. John Bolton, Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs, yesterday.

``We do not support measures that would constrain legal trade and legal manufacturing of small arms and light weapons. The vast majority of arms transfers in the world are routine and not problematic,'' said Mr. Bolton

The U.S. is the leading exporter of small arms and light weapons, selling about $1.2 billions of the estimated $6 billions circulating throughout the world, according to the Small Arms Survey, a Geneva-based research group.

- Reuters

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Section  : International
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