http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s999181.htmMore than 90 countries, including major military powers, have agreed a ground-breaking treaty to cut the huge number of civilians casualties from munitions left over from armed conflicts.
Under the pact, set to be rubber-stamped by the 92 member states of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) on Friday, countries must clean up their unexploded cluster and mortar bombs, missiles and other weaponry.
The new rules, which will be legally binding on signatory states, will come into force when the new protocol to the CCW convention has been formally ratified by 20 member states.
Diplomats said it was the first time the US Bush administration, which has expressed scepticism about the effectiveness of international arms control treaties, had signed up for a new global weapons pact.
"With the protocol, parties to a conflict have a clear responsibility to clear armaments, to eliminate the threat to lives," Indian ambassador Rakesh Sood, who acted as chairman of the negotiating group, told a news conference.
<snip>
How are they going to clean up the dust from the DU projectiles used?
Please continue HERE:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=243193