Treaty on cluster munitions is needed now - Liz Lynne

12.00.00am GMT Thu 22nd Feb 2007

Commenting on the opening of an international conference on cluster munitions in Oslo, Liz Lynne MEP, long-time campaigner against the use of such weapons and Vice-President of the European Parliament's Disability Intergroup said:

"Cluster bombs, along with landmines, are a leading cause of preventable disability in the developing world. Unexploded munitions cause severe injury, permanent disability and death on a daily basis.

"Ninety-eight per cent of causalities from cluster bombs are civilians - not combat troops. There can be no justification for the use of such an indiscriminate and harmful weapon and we must have a ban in place as soon as possible.

Liz, who is next week to launch a written declaration in the European Parliament on the banning of cluster munitions, which will mark the tenth anniversary of the Ottawa treaty banning land mines went on to say:

"I welcome the Norwegian government's commitment to this issue, and to its recognition that we need a treaty specifically addressing the use of cluster munitions, separate from the Ottawa Convention on Conventional Weapons.

"It is disgraceful that the UK government is actually opposing such attempts to draw up concrete measures for a ban, merely saying that 'there are compelling and legitimate conditions' why British armed forces should continue to use cluster bombs.

"This is why I will soon be delivering a petition to the Prime Minister calling for the UK to fall into line and help to stop the deaths of many innocent men women and children across the world."

ENDS

Notes to Editors

The written declaration, which is an equivalent to an 'early day motion' in Westminster, will need half of the signatures from Members to be forwarded to the Council, Commission, Member States, Council of Europe & United Nations. The launch of the written declaration, on the 1 March, will be accompanied by a rally at the European Parliament in Brussels, calling on Members to sign-up.