Canada not among 60 countries signing landmark treaty on world arms trade

OTTAWA – Canada has not yet joined more than 60 other countries in signing a landmark treaty to regulate the multibillion-dollar global arms trade.

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird says Canada wants to consult before agreeing to sign the deal, despite having initially voted in its favour.

The treaty was overwhelmingly approved on April 2 by the UN General Assembly and seeks to forbid weapons sales if they promote acts of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes.

Signatures are the first step to ratification, and the treaty will only take effect after 50 countries ratify it.

The United States has said it will sign soon, giving a strong kickoff to the first major international campaign to stem the illicit trade in weapons that fuel conflicts and extremists.

But key arms exporters including Russia and China and major importers including India and Egypt abstained and have given no indication yet that they will sign it.