A weapons shop in the US- Photo: AFP

(VOVworld)- US President Barak Obama on Wednesday signed new guidelines for the sale and transfer of US weapons to its ally countries. The new rules are for US government sales to other nations. They will also govern sales by US arms companies overseas; as well as weapons, data, services or equipment provided as part of U.S. military aid or security assistance overseas. For the first time, US arms sales will be explicitly guided by a principle of "restraint," signaling that officials should use caution when considering weapons sales that might exacerbate tenuous security conditions. The new guidelines also aim to support US national security goals and say arms transfers should promote the acquisition of US weapons systems and strengthen the industrial base. The United States is a global leader in weapons sales. US government weapons sales have averaged above $30 billion a year over the last four years, the State Department said, and climbed to more than $60 billion last year.