Sept. 24, 2013: President Obama walks past Secretary of State John Kerry during a meeting at U.N. headquarters in New York.AP
Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday signed a
controversial U.N. treaty on arms regulation, riling U.S. lawmakers who
vow the Senate will not ratify the agreement.
As he signed the document, Kerry called the treaty a "significant
step" in addressing illegal gun sales, while claiming it would also
protect gun rights.
"This is about keeping weapons out of the hands of terrorists and
rogue actors. This is about reducing the risk of international transfers
of conventional arms that will be used to carry out the world's worst
crimes. This is about keeping Americans safe and keeping America
strong," he said. "This treaty will not diminish anyone's freedom. In
fact, the treaty recognizes the freedom of both individuals and states
to obtain, possess, and use arms for legitimate purposes."
U.S. lawmakers, though, have long claimed the treaty could lead to
new gun control measures. They note the U.S. Senate has final say on
whether to approve the agreement.
Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., in a letter to President Obama, urged his
administration not to take any action to implement the treaty without
the consent of the Senate.
He claimed the treaty raises "fundamental issues" concerning
"individual rights protected by the Second Amendment of the United
States Constitution."
The National Rifle Association blasted the plan, claiming it would
impose an "invasive registration scheme" by requiring importing
countries to give exporting countries information on "end users."
"The Obama administration is once again demonstrating its contempt
for our fundamental, individual Right to Keep and Bear Arms," Chris Cox,
executive director of the NRA's Institute for Legislative Action, said
in a statement. "These are blatant attacks on the constitutional rights
and liberties of every law-abiding American. The NRA will continue to
fight this assault on our fundamental freedom."
Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., one of the most vocal opponents of the
treaty, also sent a letter to Kerry declaring the treaty "dead in the
water," since a majority of senators has gone on record against the
agreement.
"The administration is wasting precious time trying to sign away our
laws to the global community and unelected U.N. bureaucrats," he wrote.
Kerry, who is in New York attending the U.N. General Assembly session,
announced earlier this year that the administration planned to sign the
treaty.
The treaty would require countries that ratify it to establish
national regulations to control the transfer of conventional arms and
components and to regulate arms brokers, but it will not explicitly
control the domestic use of weapons in any country.
Still, gun-rights supporters on Capitol Hill warn the treaty could be
used as the basis for additional gun regulations inside the U.S. and
have threatened not to ratify.
Over the summer, 130 members of Congress signed a letter to President
Obama and Kerry urging them to reject the measure for this and other
reasons.
The chance of adoption by the U.S. is slim. A two-thirds majority would be needed in the Senate to ratify.
What impact the treaty will have in curbing the estimated $60 billion
global arms trade remains to be seen. The U.N. treaty will take effect
after 50 countries ratify it, and a lot will depend on which ones ratify
and which ones don't, and how stringently it is implemented.
The Control Arms Coalition, which includes hundreds of
non-governmental organizations in more than 100 countries that promoted
an Arms Trade Treaty, has said it expects many of the world's top arms
exporters -- including Britain, Germany and France -- to sign alongside
emerging exporters such as Brazil and Mexico. It said the United States
is expected to sign later this year.
The coalition notes that more than 500,000 people are killed by armed
violence every year and predicted that "history will be made" when many
U.N. members sign the treaty, which it says is designed "to protect
millions living in daily fear of armed violence and at risk of rape,
assault, displacement and death."
Many violence-wracked countries, including Congo and South Sudan, are
also expected to sign. The coalition said their signature -- and
ratification -- will make it more difficult for illicit arms to cross
borders.
The treaty covers battle tanks, armored combat vehicles,
large-caliber artillery systems, combat aircraft, attack helicopters,
warships, missiles and missile launchers, and small arms and light
weapons.
It prohibits states that ratify it from transferring conventional
weapons if they violate arms embargoes or if they promote acts of
genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes. The treaty also
prohibits the export of conventional arms if they could be used in
attacks on civilians or civilian buildings such as schools and
hospitals.
In addition, the treaty requires countries to take measures to
prevent the diversion of conventional weapons to the illicit market.
This is among the provisions that gun-rights supporters in Congress are
concerned about.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
