The increasing threats of weapons of mass destruction and daily suffering inflicted by weapons of all types should prompt the international community to review its treaties dealing with disarmament, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Monday, according to dpa. Ban opened a week-long debate on disarmament at UN headquarters, which is set against a background of previous failures to advance the agenda to rid the world of weapons of mass destruction. Last year, the UN failed to strengthen measures against small arms and light weapons because of opposition from countries manufacturing those weapons. "Unfortunately, we seem to be in a rut where setbacks in the field of disarmament have become the norm, not an exception," Ban said, calling the situation "unacceptable." Ban called for a inclusive review of existing treaties on disarmament and non-proliferation.
