Arms-control pacts crucial to fight weapons diversion threat

USING the tools aimed at controlling the trade and transfer of weapons — from tracing instruments to export rules and safe storage guidelines — is crucial to prevent these from falling into the wrong hands, according to the United Nations' senior disarmament official.

"Emanating from any arms transfer is the inherent risk of diversion of the equipment to unauthorized end-users," Izumi Nakamitsu, the UN high representative for disarmament affairs, told the UN Security Council on Monday.