CMC Press Release: Contaminated countries embrace ban on cluster munitions
Belgrade, Serbia
http://www.stopclustermunitions.org/news.asp?id=90

Countries experiencing first-hand the devastating impact of cluster munitions will meet in Belgrade on 3- 4 October to ensure that expectations of those who have suffered the most are central to the new international treaty to be negotiated banning these weapons.  Twenty-three affected countries are expected to attend, as well as a number of other governments promoting the new treaty.

Cluster Bombs Attacked by Victims
Naharnet
Beirut, Lebanon
AFP
http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/Newsdesk.nsf/0/678BFB059208B46DC2257368005F3A24?OpenDocument

Countries affected by cluster bombs most recently used in Lebanon met in Belgrade Tuesday for an international conference to push for a ban on the lethal weapons.

U.S., Russia and China urged to join treaty banning use of cluster bombs
International Herald Tribune
AP
Belgrade, Serbia
By Dusan Stojanovic
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/10/02/europe/EU-GEN-Serbia-Cluster-Bombs.php

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Serbianna
http://www.serbianna.com/news/2007/02675.shtml

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Turkish Daily News
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/apdetailspage.php?id=f439f8c1babb32808d428058e510a0a4d32029d

Big cluster bomb producers the United States, Russia and China will be urged to join a new treaty banning the use of the deadly weapon, officials negotiating the deal said Tuesday.

Iraq, Afghanistan, Balkans Push for Cluster Bomb Ban
Defense News
Belgrade, Serbia
AFP
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=3079268&C=europe

Countries affected by cluster bombs, including Iraq, Afghanistan and Balkan nations, gathered here Oct. 2 for an international conference to push for a ban on the devastating weapons.

3 October 2007

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/118094.html

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By Qatar News Agency
http://www.qnaol.com/english/linkit-1.php?date=2007-10-03&no=60

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Digital Journal
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/236370/Conference_for_banning_cluster_bombs_held_in_Serbia

A two-day conference dedicated to the prohibition of cluster bombs began Wednesday in Belgrade. The meeting was scheduled on the initiative of the Serbian government, which last week received information from the United Nations on the locations of cluster bombs that were dropped on its territory during the 1999 NATO-led bombing campaign, which ended inter-ethnic clashes in Serbia's southern province of Kosovo.

Serbia Hosts Conference Against Cluster Munitions
Belgrade, Serbia
Balkan Investigative Reporting Network
http://www.birn.eu.com/en/106/15/5141/

Representatives from 23 countries that are struggling with the effects of the wartime use of cluster munitions met on Wednesday to discuss a new international treaty aimed at banning these weapons.

Countries hit by Cluster Bomb Push for Ban
The Saudi Gazette
Belgrade, Serbia
AFP
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=38274&Itemid=117

COUNTRIES affected by cluster bombs, including Iraq, Afghanistan and Balkan nations, gathered in Belgrade Tuesday for an international conference to push for a ban on the devastating weapons. The first meeting to bring together most countries affected by cluster bombs aims to ensure that a new treaty will include victims' concerns.

When Is It Acceptable to Harm Civilians?
Disarmament Insight
By Patrick McCarthy
http://disarmamentinsight.blogspot.com/2007/10/when-is-it-acceptable-to-harm-civilians_03.html

My colleague John Borrie is in Belgrade this week participating in a meeting of States against whom cluster munitions have been used (he previewed the meeting in his last posting and will report back to this blog at the end of the week on how things went). The Belgrade meeting forms part of the so-called Olso Process on cluster munitions, which aims, by the end of 2008, to produce a new treaty banning cluster munitions that cause "unacceptable harm" to civilians.

4 October 2007

After the War the Killing Goes On
Vatican Radio
By Charles Collins
http://www.oecumene.radiovaticana.org/en1/Articolo.asp?c=158833

A two-day conference on cluster bombs is concluding today in Belgrade. The meeting is bringing together countries which have suffered the affects of this type of munition, in which some “bomblets” are carried in larger bomb canisters. Often the bomblets do not go off, and are left on the battlefield to kill civilians long after the conflict is ended. Several NGO’s are working to get the weapon banned by next year. Charles Collins reports:

Serbia conference of anti-cluster bomb coalition confident of treaty in 2008
International Herald Tribune
Belgrade, Serbia
AP
By Jovana Gec
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/10/04/europe/EU-GEN-Serbia-Cluster-Bombs.php

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Serbianna.com
http://www.serbianna.com/news/2007/02690.shtml

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Turkish Daily News
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/apdetailspage.php?id=a6a5d269171cc52fc59479e486b1e0a472e3964

Officials at a conference of states affected by the use of deadly cluster bombs said Thursday they were confident a new treaty banning the weapon would be signed next year.

Serbia hosts international meeting on banning cluster bombs
People’s Daily Online
Xinhua
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/6276633.html

Representatives from 23 countries gathered in Belgrade on Wednesday to attend a two-day meeting dedicated to the ban of cluster bombs, news reaching here from Belgrade said.

6 October 2007