UN / ARMS TREATY ANNIVERSARY

Marking the first anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), UN officials called on all States that have not yet done so to sign and/or ratify the instrument without delay to facilitate its entry into force. UNTV

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:08
• Production Date: 2 April 2014
• Asset Language: Original
• Subject Topical: INTERNATIONAL LAW; INTERNATIONAL TRADE; CRIMES; CRIMINAL JUSTICE
• MAMS Id: U140402a

Description

STORY: UN / ARMS TREATY ANNIVERSARY
TRT: 2.08
SOURCE: UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGAUGE: ENGLISH /NATS

DATELINE: 2 APRIL 2014, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

Shotlist

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters

2 APRIL 2014, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, conference room
3. Med shot, Trinidad and Tobago delegate
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Jan Eliasson, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations:
“The world is over armed, and peace is underfunded, and we really need to get our priorities straight. And I think this ATT Treaty is a sign that we realize that we have to go in this direction.”
5. Wide shot, dais
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Jan Eliasson, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations:
“We must not forget the concrete difference on the ground that this treaty will make for the life of so many if this is now well implemented. Civilians are still being killed in great numbers, maimed or driven from their homes and homelands as we see because weapons and ammunition remain in the hands and are used by warlords, terrorists, human rights abusers and organized criminal gangs and syndicates.”
7. Med shot, Daniel Prins, Chief of the Conventional Arms branch of the Office for Disarmament Affairs
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Jan Eliasson, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations:
“To date, this landmark agreement has been signed by 118 member states and today I particularly want to commend the following member states for depositing their instruments of ratification; Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and the United Kingdom. And by this decision to join many others, this means that the number has now doubled for the ratifications and this is a big step towards the Treaty’s entry into force.”
9. Med shot, audience
10. Various shots, British Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant presenting instruments of ratification

Storyline

Marking the first anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), UN officials today (2 April) called on all States that have not yet done so to sign and/or ratify the instrument without delay to facilitate its entry into force.

The treaty, adopted by the UN General Assembly last April, for the first time sets global standards for the transfer of weapons and efforts to prevent their diversion.

At an event commemorating the first anniversary of the signature of the Treaty, Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said “the world is over armed, and peace is underfunded, and we really need to get our priorities straight.”

Eliasson said the ATT was “a sign that we realize that we have to go in this direction.”

The Deputy Secretary-General noted “the concrete difference on the ground that this treaty will make for the life of so many if this is now well implemented.”

He added that “civilians are still being killed in great numbers, maimed or driven from their homes and homelands as we see because weapons and ammunition remain in the hands and are used by warlords, terrorists, human rights abusers and organized criminal gangs and syndicates.”

The Treaty regulates all conventional arms within the categories of battle tanks, armoured combat vehicles, large-calibre artillery systems, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships, missiles and missile launchers and small arms and light weapons.

Among other provisions, the treaty – which will enter into force once it receives 50 ratifications – also includes a prohibition on the transfer of arms which would be used in the commission of genocide, crimes against humanity and certain war crimes.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a message said he was “heartened” that 118 States have signed the treaty, and welcomed the deposit today of instruments of ratification by 18 Member States, which brings the number of deposited ratifications to 31.

Eliasson said commend Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and the United Kingdom for recently depositing their instruments of ratification.

He said “this means that the number has now doubled for the ratifications and this is a big step towards the Treaty’s entry into force.”

50 ratifications are needed for the treaty’s entry into force.