No Agreement Yet On Cluster Bomb Ban (U.S. Opposes Ban, Not Taking Part In Talks)

[Hissyspit]

Source: Associated Press

No Agreement Yet on Cluster Bomb Ban

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: February 22, 2008
Filed at 1:32 a.m. ET

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) -- More than 120 nations trying to negotiate a treaty banning most cluster bombs failed to reach agreement in talks that ended Friday in New Zealand but achieved good progress, officials said.

''Intense negotiations'' will be needed during the final round of talks on the pact in May to create a treaty banning the use, production, trade and storage of cluster bombs that cause unacceptable harm to civilians, said chief British negotiator John Duncan.

New Zealand Disarmament Minister Phil Goff was upbeat about this week's talks, saying all parties involved had agreed to continue the process despite the lack of unanimity. Eighty-two countries have signed up to attend the final round of talks in Dublin, Ireland. ''My anticipation ... is that we will get a treaty signed in Dublin,'' Goff said.

The United States is not taking part in the negotiations, saying it opposes a ban because of the weapons' military utility.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-New-Zealand-Cluster-Bombs.html

[Captain Angry]

1. I had an argument about these things and landmines with somebody.

They said we need these tools in case we have to fight large armies, like one in China.

I said, yeah, wouldn't it be easier if the whole world would just succumb to our rule, then we wouldn't need these things.

I was kidding. In a big way. My friend didn't detect the sarcasm at all.

Very sad.

[FrenchieCat]

2. That's just sad......

and what is sadder still, is that one of our candidates voted against the Ban, when it came up in congress!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-rees/clinton-obama-and-clust_b_84811.html

[trusty elf]

3. Goddamn I'm proud to be an American!

:patriot:

[Supersedeas]

4. winning the hearts and minds again -- right Condi

[struggle4progress]

5. 82 countries sign Wellington Declaration on cluster munitions (Xinhua)

82 countries sign Wellington Declaration on cluster munitions
2008-02-22 18:04:47

WELLINGTON, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Eighty-two countries present at a cluster munitions conference in Wellington this week have signed the "Wellington Declaration", a crucial step toward a meaningful international treaty on cluster munitions, New Zealand Disarmament and Arms Control Minister Phil Goff said on Friday.

The week-long conference, which ended on Friday, was attended by officials from 103 countries. It has been a pivotal stage in the Oslo Process, which New Zealand and six other countries started last year following frustration at a lack of progress from the United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, Goff said in a press release.

"The Wellington Declaration creates political momentum and will form the basis of formal negotiations at a diplomatic conference in Dublin in May, which aims to create a treaty banning cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians," he added.

The "Wellington Declaration" arising from talks this week has provided a draft treaty which its promoters hope will become legally binding at an international meeting in Dublin in May ...

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/22/content_7649022.htm

[struggle4progress]

6. Draft treaty on cluster bombs agreed (Radio Netherlands)

Published: Friday 22 February 2008 07:59 UTC
Last updated: Friday 22 February 2008 16:11 UTC

Wellington - A majority of delegates attending an international conference on cluster bombs in the New Zealand capital Wellington have backed a draft treaty banning the weapons. New Zealand's Minister for Disarmament Phil Goff said 82 of the 122 countries represented at the conference had signed the draft, known as the Wellington Declaration. Minister Goff said he hoped that a final version of the treaty would be approved at a follow-up conference, scheduled to be held in Dublin in May.

Cluster bombs are large devices that can be dropped from aircraft or fired in missiles or artillery shells and contain hundreds of small bomblets. Many of the small bombs fail to detonate when initially fired but go off later, killing and maiming innocent civilians.

The main manufacturers of cluster munitions, China, Russia and the US, are opposed to a ban. Israel used them during its 2006 offensive against Hizbollah in southern Lebanon. The Netherlands suspended their use last year.

http://www.radionetherlands.nl/news/international/5653832/Draft-treaty-on-cluster-bombs-agreed

[struggle4progress]

7. Bulk of states back cluster bomb ban, organisers say

WELLINGTON (AFP) — A key conference on cluster bombs ended Friday in Wellington with most of the 122 governments represented backing a draft treaty banning the deadly weapons, organisers said ...

The conference was supported by the Cluster Munitions Coalition (CMC), a global network of 200 civil society organisations that includes the leaders of the Nobel peace prize-winning international Campaign to Ban Landmines ...

Earlier this week the coalition accused nine governments that subsequently signed the draft -- Japan, Australia, Finland, France, Holland, Germany, Britain, Denmark and Spain -- of trying to weaken the statement to allow the United States to use the controversial weapons ...

New Zealand is one of six governments leading the process, along with Austria, Ireland, Mexico, Norway and Peru, which is hoped will end with the signing of the final treaty in Oslo in December.

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5j5XxZCYe8ssHW7KzBVwWL_9Xcx3g