European Commission,
BRUSSELS: The European Commission welcomes the adoption in Dublin on Wednesday 28 May of a multilateral convention to ban all cluster munitions within eight years.
Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Commissioner for External Relations and Neighbourhood Policy, commented: “The convention banning cluster munitions is an important step towards enhancing the security of victims of conflicts in many regions across the world. I hope that many countries will sign and ratify it. When entering into force, it will be an important contribution to the “Human Security Agenda”. The European Commission stands ready to assist in implementing the Convention.”
The Convention will prohibit the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians. It will enter into effect once at least 30 countries have ratified it. The Convention on cluster munitions will be officially opened for signature at a ceremony due to take place in Oslo in December.
The European Commission is one of the world’s leading donors in the clearance and destruction of land mines, as well as in mine victim assistance, and has already supported projects covering also cluster munitions in highly affected countries such as Afghanistan, Laos, Cambodia, Lebanon and Sudan.
The Dublin Conference on Cluster Munitions involved from more than 100 countries and is a milestone in a negotiating process lasting for more than a year – the so-called “Oslo Process”. Signatory states will “undertake never under any circumstances to use cluster munitions” nor “develop, produce, otherwise acquire, stockpile, retain or transfer to anyone, directly or indirectly, cluster munitions”.
The Oslo Process in many ways parallels the process which led to the 1997 Ottawa Convention banning landmines.
