So far, the nearest thing to a practical step was last November's agreement by the Organisation of American States to co-operate in clamping down on the export of illegal weapons.

ECONOMIST: Hey, anybody want a gun?

The draft calls for each country that ratifies the treaty to establish regulations for the export of ammunition "fired, launched or delivered" by the weapons covered by the convention.

NPR: Optimism In UN Over 1st Global Arms Trade Treaty

But if passed, they believe it will put pressure on countries involved in the export or transfer of arms to scrutinise more rigorously both the potential use of weapons and what the consequences of their use might be, such as breaches of human rights.

ECONOMIST: Regulating the arms trade: One more heave | The

Experts say that by this process, this means that no new bombs of plutonium are being made, no better bombs, and it makes it much less likely that North Korea is able to export its knowledge, its expertise or any material that could be used for nuclear weapons.

CNN: Amanpour: More detail to come from North Korea

As it is today, U.S. export controls already fall short of covering the full range of technologies which can be used to manufacture weapons of mass destruction.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center for Security Policy | Over To You: Congressional Scrutiny Urgently Required On Aid To Russia