It would be a good question for the quiz game Trivial Pursuit. What has the National Rifle Association (nra), America's powerful pro-gun lobbying outfit, got in common with Syria, Iran and North Korea? The answer: all are opposed to the global Arms Trade Treaty (att) which was overwhelmingly approved by 154 countries on April 2nd by the General Assembly of the United Nations. The next stage is for those countries which voted for the treaty to begin formally signing up to it in early June. Each signatory country will then have to ratify it at home. The treaty will come into legal force 90 days after the 50th country has ratified it-perhaps as soon as the end of this year. For some, ratification will be a simple process; for others it could prove harder.
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