President Clinton has announced new controls on the supply of guns in the United States.

The initiative came after a White House report showed that just one percent of dealers sell more than fifty-percent of the guns used in crimes.

New measures include the introduction of surprise spot-checks on those gun dealers most suspected of providing criminals with weapons.

The White House has been trying to broker an agreement between the gun manufacturers, the dealers and state governments, but without success.

The National Rifle Association, which looks after the interests of gun-owners, has dismissed the initiative as a political ploy.

Mr Clinton's order follows Congress's failure to implement steps to control gun sales.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service