Kathmandu: Representatives of 20 Asian
countries, including India, gathered here on Wednesday to discuss a
proposed international treaty on arms trade to regulate the
global weapons market.
The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), currently in preliminary
stage of negotiations is aimed at controlling the
international trade of conventional weapons. The UN has set
2012 as the year for its final negotiating conference.
Sujata Koirala, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign
Minister, inaugurated regional seminar on "Supporting the Arms
Trade Treaty Negotiations through Regional Discussions and
Expertise Sharing".
Besides India and the host nation, Bangladesh,
Pakistan, Bhutan and Sri Lanka are among 20 South and Central
Asian nations participating in the three-day seminar.
"Nepal is against the illegal use and import of arms
for any purpose," she said, pointing out that the effective
control of such arms trade will help in establishing peace in
the region.
The opening session was chaired by Deputy Director of
UN Institute for Disarmament Research Christiane Agboton
Johnson.
The meeting mainly focused on cooperation, assistance
and capacity building, and made presentations on national and
regional systems to regulate trade in conventional weapons,
and discussions on aspects related to the establishment and
enforcement of effective arms transfer control systems.
The seminar, jointly organised by UN Regional Centre
for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD) and
the European Union (EU), was part of a series of regional
events to support the negotiations of the ATT.
PTI
