Brown commitment to cluster bomb ban makes treaty in 2008 "a near certainty"

The Mirror
13 November,2007
By Tom Parry in Tifariti, Western Sahara

Confidence grows for a new cluster bomb treaty despite disappointment in Geneva.

Gordon Brown's demand for an international ban in his Lord Mayor's speech Monday has given a major boost to the new treaty effort. Blocking by Russia resulted in a "go slow" outcome from the Geneva meeting ending Tuesday but Gordon Brown's intervention has given strong support to those states that want to see urgent action.

"Gordon Brown showed real leadership in his Lord Mayor's speech backing the call for a ban on the use, sale and stockpiling of cluster munitions" said Simon Conway, Director of Landmine Action. "This is not just a commitment to protecting civilians from one abhorrent weapon, but about reshaping how countries work together to protect civilians."

Brown's Lord Mayor's speech called upon states to act on their responsibility to protect civilians and described the weakness of international institutions that are "not fit for purpose" in an interdependent world. And the speech has already made a practical difference:

"Gordon Brown's commitment makes a cluster bomb ban a near certainty in 2008." said Richard Moyes, Policy Director of Landmine Action. "This is a strong boost to international security, arms control and humanitarian protection,"

Last week, in Geneva, Ban Ki-moon the UN Secretary General described the "atrocious, inhumane impact of cluster munitions" and called for a "legally binding instrument of international law".

In December, in Vienna, states that support the Oslo Declaration calling for an urgent treaty on cluster bombs will meet again to push forward their work for a ban:

"Britain should now commit to destroy its remaining stockpile of cluster munitions and should back the strongest ban on these weapons in Vienna," said Simon Conway.