Edith M. Lederer
Associated Press
via Seattle Post-Intelligencer
7/27/2012
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — A U.N. treaty to regulate the multibillion-dollar global arms trade will have to wait after member states failed to an reach agreement, and some diplomats and supporters blamed the United States for the unraveling of the monthlong negotiating conference.
Hopes had been raised that agreement could be reached on a revised treaty text that closed some major loopholes by Friday’s deadline for action. But the U.S. announced Friday morning that it needed more time to consider the proposed treaty — and Russia and China then also asked for more time…
…A Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, also blamed the U.S., saying “they derailed the process,” adding that nothing will happen to revive negotiations until after the U.S. presidential election in November…
…Chief U.S. negotiator Thomas Countryman refused to talk to several dozen reporters when the meeting broke up.
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in a statement Friday evening that the U.S. supports a second round of negotiations next year.
“While we sought to conclude the month’s negotiations with a treaty, more time is a reasonable request for such a complex and critical issue,” the statement said…
Read the entire article at Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Update: UN backs away from small arms treaty
Update 2: At Israel Survival Updates [with video of John Bolton] an analysis that should make your blood run cold.
