United Nations General Assembly A/RES/61/89 Distr.: General 18 December 2006 Sixty-first session Agenda item 90 Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 6 December 2006 [on the report of the First Committee (A/61/394)] 61/89. Towards an arms trade treaty: establishing common international standards for the import, export and transfer of conventional arms The General Assembly, Guided by the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, and reaffirming its respect for and commitment to international law, Recalling its resolutions 46/36 L of 9 December 1991, 51/45 N of 10 December 1996, 51/47 B of 10 December 1996, 56/24 V of 24 December 2001 and 60/69 and 60/82 of 8 December 2005, Recognizing that arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation are essential for the maintenance of international peace and security, Reaffirming the inherent right of all States to individual or collective selfdefence in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter, Acknowledging the right of all States to manufacture, import, export, transfer and retain conventional arms for self-defence and security needs, and in order to participate in peace support operations, Recalling the obligations of all States to fully comply with arms embargoes decided by the Security Council in accordance with the Charter, Reaffirming its respect for international law, including international human rights law and international humanitarian law, and the Charter, Taking note of and encouraging relevant initiatives, undertaken at the international, regional and subregional levels between States, including those of the United Nations, and of the role played by non-governmental organizations and civil society, to enhance cooperation, improve information exchange and transparency and implement confidence-building measures in the field of responsible arms trade, Recognizing that the absence of common international standards on the import, export and transfer of conventional arms is a contributory factor to conflict, the displacement of people, crime and terrorism, thereby undermining peace, reconciliation, safety, security, stability and sustainable development, 06-49977