Jim Burns, CNSNews.com
Tuesday, July 10, 2001

Undersecretary of State John Bolton told the conference: "Small arms and light weapons in our understanding are strictly military arms. Automatic rifles, machine guns, shoulder-fired missiles and rocket systems, light mortars are contributing to continued violence and suffering in regions of conflict around the world."

At the same time, Bolton defended American citizens' right to own guns.

"The United States believes," Bolton said, "that the responsible use of firearms is a legitimate aspect of national life. Like many countries, the United States has a cultural tradition of hunting and sport shooting. We, therefore, do not begin with the presumption that all small arms and light weapons are the same or that they are all problematic."

He said Americans use "these military arms from firearms such as hunting rifles and pistols" and that the illicit trade in military small arms and light weapons is what the conference is designed to address.

"As U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft has said, 'Just as the First and Fourth Amendments secure individual rights of speech and security, respectively, the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms," he said.

Bolton added that the United States opposed a mandatory review of what individual countries had done, nor would the Bush administration support restrictions on arms trade to rebel groups, which could be defending themselves against a genocidal government.

A resolution at the end of the conference is expected to call on countries to regulate arms brokers and ensure that manufacturers mark all small weapons so that their movements can be traced. However, a resolution from the U.N. is not legally binding and thus is unenforceable under international law.

President Bush is going to be in New York today for a short visit, but he has no plans to visit the U.N. conference, according to White House officials.

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer was asked about the U.N conference at Monday's press briefing.

"The president is very concerned about all issues involving arms to terrorists. As you know, it's something that he and President Putin have discussed at great length, about the problems of extremism on the border of Russia," Fleischer said.

"And the president shares that concern and believes that we need to have an approach where all developed nations and developing nations work together to have a nonproliferation strategy to prevent terrorists from receiving weapons," he said.

Fleischer had no further comment on the conference.

Several protests have been planned in New York against the U.N. and the conference. Several gun groups along with members of New York's Libertarian and Constitution Party are expected to demonstrate Saturday afternoon. The groups believe it is time for the United States to remove itself from the U.N.

The conference reportedly will include representatives from 189 nations and various nongovernmental advocacy groups, including the National Rifle Association.

Wayne LaPierre, the NRA's chief executive officer, said, "We're going to be there standing for freedom." He believes the U.N. conference intends to "put a global standard ahead of an individual country's freedom."

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