UN Security Council endorses gun control, assault rifle ban
by Peter James Spielmann
NandoTimes.com
24 September 1999
In what it characterized as a bid to curb civil wars, ethnic massacres and terrorism, the U.N. Security Council on Friday endorsed sweeping worldwide gun-control measures, including a ban on private ownership of assault rifles.
At the end of the first ministerial debate on small arms, council members unanimously supported a report by Secretary-General Kofi Annan on ways to reduce the global stockpile of some 500 million handguns, rifles, shotguns and assault weapons.
While not legally binding, the action is intended to increase the pressure on world governments to impose stricter gun control measures and reduce the arms trade.
At least 200 million firearms are owned by American citizens.
"Small arms and light weapons are primary tools of violence in many conflicts taking place in the world," Annan told the council.
"The proliferation of small arms, ammunition and explosives has also aggravated the violence associated with terrorism and organized crime.
"Even in societies not beset by civil war, the easy availability of small arms has in many cases contributed to violence and political instability," he said.
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright announced: "The United States will refrain from selling arms to regions of conflict not already covered by arms embargoes. We encourage other nations to establish and observe such moratoria.
Albright called for a global crack down on arms trafficking, citing U.S. laws forbidding its citizens from brokering illicit deals anywhere in the world.
British Foreign Minister Robin Cook told the Council: "It is a tribute ... that nuclear weapons have never been used for half a century, and that chemical weapons have rarely been used.
"However, over the same period the assault rifle has become the weapon of mass killing," he said, adding that conflicts fought with only small arms have killed over 3 million, mostly civilians, in the last decade alone.
Just $5 million would buy about 20,000 assault rifles, "enough to equip the army of a medium-sized state," he said.
The Security Council's 15 members supported a statement by the council president endorsing Annan's report.
Annan's report, among other things, recommended:
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Better enforcement of U.N. arms embargoes on nations and regions in conflict.
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Nations should require arms manufacturers to put serial numbers and identification marks on weapons so the diversion of legitimate sales into the black market can be monitored.
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Nations should share information on the registration of guns and on legal transactions, in order to trace black
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