1st meeting of cluster bomb treaty closes with declaration, action plan
Nov. 15, 2010
The first formal meeting of states that have ratified an international treaty banning cluster munitions was brought to a close here Friday with the adoption of political declaration and an action plan.
The four-day First Meeting of State Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions laid the foundation for future engagement on the convention by bringing together for the first time ratifying countries, U.N. agencies, international organizations, civil society, and cluster bomb survivors.
The convention bans the use, production, and trade in cluster munitions, and obliges states to compensate victims. It is binding only on countries that have signed and ratified it.
The convention entered into force on Aug. 1. To date, 108 governments have signed the convention, of which 46 have ratified. However, some of the biggest stockpilers -- including the United States, Russia, China and Israel -- are not among the signatories.
Neither the United States nor Russia were represented at the meeting. How to involve military superpowers in order to help the treaty bear fruit is a challenge for the future.
The Vientiane Declaration said cluster munitions kill indiscriminately long after conflicts and constitute a serious threat to peace, human security and development. In order to realize a world free of cluster munitions, it calls for the clearance of cluster munitions remnants, destruction of stockpiles cluster munitions, and provision of risk reduction education.
The Vientiane Action Plan consists of over 60 concrete steps for ratifying countries to take in order to implement their legal obligations under the convention.
The steps include supporting cluster munitions programs by providing funding to facilitate long-term planning to least-developed nations, and putting in place a support system for cluster munition victims.
Thomas Nash, coordinator of the nongovernmental Cluster Munition Coalition, said many results were achieved at the meeting. ''By cooperating with various countries, it's possible to continue applying pressure on military superpowers like the U.S. and Russia,'' he said.
(Distributed by Kyodo News on Nov.12, 2010)
The four-day First Meeting of State Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions laid the foundation for future engagement on the convention by bringing together for the first time ratifying countries, U.N. agencies, international organizations, civil society, and cluster bomb survivors.
The convention bans the use, production, and trade in cluster munitions, and obliges states to compensate victims. It is binding only on countries that have signed and ratified it.
The convention entered into force on Aug. 1. To date, 108 governments have signed the convention, of which 46 have ratified. However, some of the biggest stockpilers -- including the United States, Russia, China and Israel -- are not among the signatories.
Neither the United States nor Russia were represented at the meeting. How to involve military superpowers in order to help the treaty bear fruit is a challenge for the future.
The Vientiane Declaration said cluster munitions kill indiscriminately long after conflicts and constitute a serious threat to peace, human security and development. In order to realize a world free of cluster munitions, it calls for the clearance of cluster munitions remnants, destruction of stockpiles cluster munitions, and provision of risk reduction education.
The Vientiane Action Plan consists of over 60 concrete steps for ratifying countries to take in order to implement their legal obligations under the convention.
The steps include supporting cluster munitions programs by providing funding to facilitate long-term planning to least-developed nations, and putting in place a support system for cluster munition victims.
Thomas Nash, coordinator of the nongovernmental Cluster Munition Coalition, said many results were achieved at the meeting. ''By cooperating with various countries, it's possible to continue applying pressure on military superpowers like the U.S. and Russia,'' he said.
(Distributed by Kyodo News on Nov.12, 2010)
