U.S. signs treaty to restrict arms trade

UNITED NATIONS — The United States on Wednesday signed a treaty that seeks to regulate the international trade in conventional arms, but ratification in the Senate remains uncertain because of the strong resistance of gun rights advocates.

Secretary of State John F. Kerry signed the Arms Trade Treaty in a ceremony at the United Nations, insisting that it would have no effect on Americans’ ability to buy weapons and little effect on overseas sales because of U.S. export controls that are already in place.

“We are talking about the kind of export controls that for decades have not diminished one iota our ability in the United States as Americans to exercise our rights under the Constitution,” he said.

Despite such arguments, conservatives consider the law a threat to the 2nd Amendment. Some also see it as another threat from abroad to American sovereignty.

The treaty seeks to set standards for all cross-border transfers of conventional weapons, from small firearms to tanks and attack helicopters. It requires countries to review international sales contracts to ensure that weapons will not be used in human rights abuses, terrorism, violations of humanitarian law or organized crime.

The United States, the No. 1 gun exporter, became the 91st country to sign the agreement. But some other top manufacturing countries, including Russia, China and India, have declined to sign.

Rights group Amnesty International said it hoped the administration’s decision would be seen as a signal by the Russians and Chinese, as well as domestic opponents of the law.

“The Obama administration is politically committed to ending the unscrupulous trade in deadly weapons used by dictators, warlords and criminal gangs to commit atrocities,” said Frank Jannuzi, Amnesty International USA’s deputy executive director.

Oxfam, an aid group, called on Washington to live up to the spirit of the treaty by not transferring weapons to countries such as Syria, where there is a risk of rights abuses.

The National Rifle Assn. issued a statement describing the law’s provisions as “blatant attacks on the constitutional rights and liberties of every law-abiding American.”

paul.richter@latimes.com