Bishop chairs UN session on illicit arms AN Australia-sponsored, landmark resolution restricting the trade and distribution of illicit small arms and weapons has passed in the United Nations during a Security Council meeting chaired by Foreign Minister Julie Bishop. Ms Bishop presided over the debate on the resolution which was passed on Thursday with 14 yes votes. There were no votes in the negative. Russia was the only country to fail to back the measure, as it opted to abstain. The measure is designed to regulate international arms transfers and prohibit shipments to governments that fail to conform with the UN Charter. "The treaty will also help address weapons diversion from government stockpiles - a growing and disturbing source of arms for pirates, rebels and warlords," said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Australia was commended by numerous council representatives for its leadership on the issue. An estimated 500,000 people die annually as a result of the use of small arms, many of them civilians. "These weapons pose a grave threat to civilians, to peacekeepers, to humanitarian workers and to civil society organisations," Ms Bishop said. Their proliferation and misuse can undermine the rule of law and human rights, and destroy efforts to rebuild broken societies. During the discussion, Ms Bishop noted the resolution had particular relevance for the countries in Australia's region, recalling the key role the surrender and confiscation of more than 4000 weapons had in the Australian-led push to stabilise the Solomon Islands over the past decade. She urged the Security Council to revisit the issue on a regular basis. "The council has taken too long to adopt its first resolution on small arms," she said. The council should consider these issues more systematically return to this subject with greater frequency and ensure that our commitments today are not forgotten tomorrow. Implementation of the "treaty" is still a way off. Fifty countries need to formally ratify the resolution for it to come into effect - only seven have done so to date, while 110 UN states have signed it. Ms Bishop took the helm at the council as part of Australia's two-year stint as a non-permanent member. The minister's visit to the UN for Leaders' Week coincides with Australia's month-long assignment in the Security Council presidency role which is awarded on a revolving basis. It is the first time since 1985/86 that Australia has presided over the council. During the two hour debate, Ms Bishop invited members to speak and offered her thoughts in her capacity as Australia's foreign minister. The vote was precisely what Australia was seeking although the gathering didn't go without a hitch - the minister stumbled over the name of the Azerbaijan representative and the lights in the ornate chamber went out briefly as the United States delegate began to speak.