The United Nations on Monday, June 3rd, 2013, began the process of signing the Treaty on Arms Trade General Assembly of the Organization approved last April to try to prevent the supply of arms to conflict zones or criminal groups.
Several countries sent ministers to give more importance to the company policy, including Spain, with the Minister of Industry, José Manuel Soria, and Germany with its head of affairs, Guido Westerwelle.
In Mexico, one of the most active countries proposed the treaty, signed by the Ambassador Juan Manuel Gómez Robledo, Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
United Nations will mark the beginning of the process with a ceremony to be attended by the High Representative for Disarmament, Angela Kane, the president of the Final Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty, Peter Woolcott, and Vice President of the International Committee of the Red Cross Christine Beerli.
There will be, in the afternoon, a session with the participation of ministerial secretary general, Ban Ki-moon.
The treaty was approved on April 2 in a historic majority voting in the General Assembly, which ended a long negotiating process that began more than a decade.
The final resolution, presented by Costa Rica after three countries blocked the initiative before treaty was adopted by consensus, by 154 votes in favor, three against and 23 abstentions.
The three countries that voted against the resolution were Syria, Iran and North Korea, the same that had previously prevented the new treaty was adopted by consensus.
The objective of the treaty is to promote peace and security through curb arms flows to areas of conflict, which also promote respect for human rights.
In addition to areas of conflict, the UN is confident that “warlords”, pirates and organized crime groups are more difficult to access the weapons that fuel their activities.
The Treaty on Arms Trade enter into force 90 days after 50 States have deposited their instruments of ratification (acceptance or approval), an act that will be after the signing. Based on a report by EFE
The Costa Rica News (TCRN)
San Jose Costa Rica
