Iran, North Korea, and Syria oppose arms controls.

The treaty's adoption requires the support of all 193 UN member states. However, many countries have proposed submitting the treaty's adoption to the United Nations General Assembly for a vote.

Diplomats have been developing a set of principles to end the free trade in weapons for over a decade. In 2012, efforts to reach a consensus on the treaty stalled as major powers such as the United States, Russia, and China requested more time to review the draft.

All major arms manufacturers support the Treaty - Photo: AFP

The draft treaty stipulates that member states must ensure that international arms trade does not take place if those weapons are used in human rights violations, war crimes, or genocide. Governments must also prevent weapons from being smuggled onto the black market.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has stated that Iran supports the treaty. However, the Iranian delegation's representative, Mohammad Khazaee, said the treaty cannot end the transfer of weapons to those who "commit acts of aggression," referring to rebel groups.

Echoing the Iranian ambassador's sentiment, Syrian ambassador Bashar Jaafari objected to the draft treaty's failure to address the ban on arms transfers to "terrorist armed groups." "Our country's concerns have not been taken into account. Therefore, we cannot accept this treaty."

The North Korean ambassador continued to support Iran and Syria, asserting, "This is an unbalanced treaty." North Korea is currently subject to a UN arms embargo due to its missile launches and nuclear tests.

According to Reuters, the global arms trade was estimated at $70 billion last year. Reuters reported that Mexico, Australia, and several other countries have requested that the UN meeting approve the treaty, which could take place next Tuesday.

The US chief negotiator, Assistant Secretary of State Thomas Countryman, predicted the vote would result in "a significant majority." Reuters reported that Russia and China had stated they would not obstruct the ratification of the treaty, but would carefully study its contents afterward. India and Pakistan, along with several other countries, argued that the treaty favored exporters, disadvantaging arms importers.

If approved by the General Assembly, the treaty must be signed and ratified by at least 50 countries to officially enter into force.

According to Tuoi Tre - DT