November 02, 2008	Sunday	Ziqa'ad 3, 1429

UNITED NATIONS, Nov 1: The United States and Zimbabwe may not be on the best of terms, but they had a rare moment of unity on Friday when their UN envoys joined forces to vote against establishing global arms trade standards.

Nearly 150 nations voted in favour of drafting a legally binding arms trade treaty that would tighten regulation of, and set international standards for, the import, export and transfer of conventional weapons.

The resolution presented to the First Committee of the UN General Assembly, which focuses on disarmament and international security, passed with an overwhelming majority of 147 votes.

The United States and Zimbabwe cast the only votes against the resolution. Other arms exporting nations like China, Russia and Israel expressed their reticence by abstaining.

Britain’s UN Ambassador John Sawers referred to the isolated pair of nay-sayers as “a rather curious combination”.

The United States has been extremely critical of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and worked with Britain earlier this year on a failed attempt to persuade the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on him and other Zimbabwean officials.

“We hope that the next US administration will look again at their approach on the arms trade treaty and recognize that this has benefits for all responsible arms manufacturers and traders,” Sawers told reporters.“The only impact it will have will be to bear down on the irresponsible and illegal transfer of weapons,” Sawers said.

He said two conferences in March and July 2009 will work to negotiating the precise standards that will become part of an actual arms trade treaty.

US DISLIKES ARMS CONTROLS: US envoy Christina Rocca told the First Committee that the reason she voted against the resolution was that Washington feared it would lead to a “weak treaty” because it would need the support of major weapons manufacturers to get passed.—Reuters