UK plan for arms curbs backed by 120 countries

The Foreign Office minister, Kim Howells, said yesterday more than 120 countries had expressed support for the UK's proposed arms trade treaty which, he said, should be "legally binding, with monitoring and enforcing mechanisms", and set "clear standards when an arms transfer should not take place, including respect for human rights".

The defence minister, Derek Twigg, who was appointed earlier this month, said stopping the flow of illicit weapons to unstable regions would reduce risks to UK troops. Britain will table the draft treaty at the UN general assembly next month.

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