UN initiates arms trade agreement (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

A United Nations committee has voted overwhelmingly to begin work on drawing up an international arms trade treaty.

The measure would close loopholes in existing laws which mean guns still end up in conflict zones despite arms embargoes and export controls.

It could also stop the supply of weapons to countries whose development is being hampered by arms spending.

Only the US - a major arms manufacturer - voted against the treaty, saying it wanted to rely on existing agreements.

A total of 139 states voted for the motion. There were 24 abstentions.
***
more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6088200.stm

Holy crap, I slept through the network news and missed this completely! Oh well, I'm sure it'll be in tomorrow's paper -- page 1, above the fold.

But only in Bizarro World!