SLOVAKIA will ratify the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), which regulates the international trade in conventional arms.
ATT is the first-ever worldwide agreement to regulate the conventional arms trade. It was adopted by the UN General Assembly on April 2, 2013 to foster peace and security “by putting a stop to destablising arms flows to conflict regions”, the UN writes on its website.
The Slovak parliament approved the ATT on March 26. The ratification process will be completed after the country’s president signs the treaty, SITA newswire reported.
The arms exporters who earn dozens of billions of euros on trading conventional arms every year will have to guarantee that their products wouldn’t serve to commit genocide, war crimes, terrorism, and organised crime.
“It will prevent human rights abusers and violators of the law of war from being supplied with arms,” UN claims regarding the treaty. “And it will help keep warlords, pirates, and gangs from acquiring these deadly tools.”
ATT has been signed by 114 countries as of November 2013, while eight countries have already ratified it. The document becomes effective 90 days after the 50th country to ratify the treaty deposits the ratification bill at the UN General Secretary.
Source: SITA, UN website
Compiled by Michaela Terenzani from press reports.
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information
presented in its Flash News postings.
