By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, February 17 -- During the last day of Arms Trade Treaty negotiations on the second floor of the UN's North Lawn building, a coalition of strange bedfellows pushed to require consensus -- that is, in essence, a veto for each country. Syria, so much in the news, took this position, along with Cuba and Iran. And right along with them, according to southern neighbor of the United States, was the US of the Obama administration.
Some, particularly the Nordics, sought to make excuses, saying that the US has grown more flexible since 2009. But others note that with US based companies selling so many weapons, the confluence for example with Syria makes economic sense.
The US, sources said, wanted consensus to apply to the adoption of any treaty.
Late on Friday a compromise was reached on decision-making: it should be "on the basis on consensus," but on procedural matters, by a 2/3 majority.
In a bid to block non-governmental organizations and civil society from meetings, a line was stricken even in the final reading from Rule 57, Paragraph 2, providing now for private meetings, no longer "unless the Conference decides otherwise."
In these final hours, a so-called "big gun" entered the first floor Conference Room: UN Disarmament chief Duarte. He is a lame duck now, and those vying to succeed him include not only as Inner City Press first reported the Permanent Representative of Peru Enrique Roman-Morey, but also, it's said, his counterpart from the Philippines, Libran Cabactulan, who in a previous conference mediated until he lost his voice.
But Peru has yet to ratify the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Nor has the Philippines. Watch this site.
