LE GROUPE D'EXPERTS GOUVERNEMENTAUX DE LA CONVENTION SUR CERTAINES ARMES CLASSIQUES REPREND LES NÉGOCIATIONS SUR LES SOUS-MUNITIONS (en anglais)

The Second 2010 Session of the Group of Governmental Experts of the States parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, mandated to continue negotiations to address urgently the humanitarian impact of cluster munitions, opens its week-long meeting today at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

Minister Jesus S. Domingo of the Philippines will preside over the work of the Group that expects to conclude its negotiations as rapidly as possible and report to the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties which will take place in November.

The latest version of the Chair’s paper submitted to the Group at the end of the First 2010 Session in April will be the basis for the negotiations. In preparation for the Second Session delegations met informally in Geneva from 28 June to 1 July.

The 2009 Meeting of the High Contracting Parties to the 1980 Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects (CCW) decided that the Group of Governmental Experts should “continue its negotiations, informed by the Chairperson’s consolidated text dated 26 August 2009 (document CCW/MSP/2009/WP.1, titled “Draft Protocol on Cluster Munitions”), and taking into account document CCW/GGE/2009-II/2, Annex I (titled “Cluster Munitions”), and other past, present and future proposals by delegations, to address urgently the humanitarian impact of cluster munitions, while striking a balance between military and humanitarian considerations.”

The humanitarian impact of cluster munitions has been discussed within the CCW since 2001, first - under a broader theme of explosive remnants of war, and since 2007 – as the main item of the agenda of the Group of Governmental Experts. The Group has invested much effort during the last three years in drafting a new protocol on prohibitions and restrictions on the use of cluster munitions, but there is still considerable controversy over its possible content. In his closing remarks, the Chair emphasized that this represented a considerable challenge. “Cooperation, common efforts, flexibility and political will,” he stressed were important elements to overcome such challenge.


For use of the information media; not an official record

DC10/038E