Semiautomatic handguns and semiautomatic assault rifles that fire many rounds in a minute were not envisaged by the founders nor do they do much more to enhance self-defense than an ordinary pistol or rifle.
Many governments (including Nigeria's and Libya's) cancelled their informal commitments to purchase the machines when they realised the devices were untried, the price higher than envisaged and other cheap laptops available.
The Nice Treaty had proved to be "much more substantial" than the government had initially envisaged, said the committee, which warned ministers that they needed to be prepared for the next round of negotiations in 2004.