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Ireland: Cluster bomb conference: its now or never
Envoys meeting in Dublin to discuss a global ban on cluster munitions are hopeful for a "now or never deal", but there are obvious obstacles that point to a less than straightforward deal
di Staff
Envoys from about 100 countries meet in Dublin Monday for a 12-day conference started on May 19th aimed at clinching a global ban on cluster munitions, as campaigners said it was "now or never" for a deal. The talks, at Dublin's giant Croke Park Gaelic sports and rugby union stadium, aim to agree a wide-ranging pact that would completely wipe out the use, production and stockpiling of cluster bombs by its signatories.
Obstacles to success
But evident obstacles to the success of the conference have already emerged. First of all the absence of important producers, namely the United States, China and Russia. The European Union has also failed to take a definite stance, while the UK aims to exclude both M85 and M73 bombs (the so called intelligent bombs) from the ban, with the White House?s support. Grethe Ostern, head of the Ngo Cluster Munitions Coalition (CMC), said that these obstacles would lead to delays and ?would mean new innocent victims?.
Pope Benedict XVI called on world governments Sunday to outlaw use of the weapons. Irish Catholic bishops also gave their support amid fears a deal could be watered down. "We have to remedy the errors of the past and avoid their repetition in the future," the pontiff said during prayers in the northern Italian city of Genoa.
Cluster munitions are among the weapons which pose the gravest dangers to civilians, according to the CMC. Dropped from planes or fired from artillery, they explode in mid-air, randomly scattering bomblets. Countries are seeking a ban due to the risk of civilians being killed or maimed by their indiscriminate, wide area effect. They also pose a lasting threat to civilians as many bomblets fail to explode on impact.
Draft Treaty
The draft treaty obliges signatories never to use, develop, produce, acquire, stockpile, retain or transfer cluster munitions, nor to assist, encourage or induce anyone to engage in any activity banned to a state party who has signed. Signatories would have six years to destroy their stockpiles. It also includes provisions for the welfare of cluster bomb victims and for cleaning up affected areas.
But some countries, particularly Britain, are looking to water down the wording, the CMC said. Foreign Office officials were quoted by the Times on Monday saying British negotiators would seek exemptions for two types of weapons which they say are still needed to protect troops on operations against possible enemy advances.
In contrast nine senior retired British military figures including former professional head of the armed forces Lord Edwin Bramall called for "the strongest possible ban" to be agreed in a letter to the newspaper. "If we are to be accepted as legitimate users of force, then we must demonstrate our determination to employ that force only in the most responsible and accountable way," the letter said.
Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland are among other states seeking amendments. Some want exemptions on certain types of cluster weapons, more time to dismantle their arsenals, looser language on assistance — for example in joint military operations — or transition periods in which they could still be used.
Campaigners oppose any weaker agreement and hope a ban would stigmatise the use of cluster munitions by non-signatories — as happened with landmines — so increasing pressure on those countries to reduce or stop using them themselves.
Notable absentees from the conference include China, India, Israel, Pakistan, Russia and the United States — all major producers and stockpilers.
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