Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – An annual U.N. weapons conference ended in Geneva November 13 agreeing only to negotiate a "proposal" to address the humanitarian impact of cluster munitions. No specific time frame was given except to say it would be in 2008.
68 countries had voiced their support for a partial ban with the exception of Russia and China, two of the arm producers. The United States said it supported negotiations but not a ban as it considers cluster munitions a legitimate weapon “when used properly and in accordance with existing international humanitarian law." The ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) considered the news “regrettable” as it lacked legally binding instruments to limit the use of the weapon.
Cluster munitions are intended to destroy fields or make terrain impassable and can remain dormant for years. Unexploded bomblets can detonate later at the slightest disturbance posing special danger to civilian populations.
Related story, UN broken chair is reminder of cluster munitions damage, GenevaLunch, 7 December 2006
This work by genevalunch.com is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported.
News story, GenevaLunch, 13 November 2007.
Filed under: International organizations
Tags: anti-personnel landmines, cluster bombs, cluster munitions, Convention on Cluster Munitions, landmines, Politics, Swiss news