UN talks on cluster bombs in Dublin

I'm hoping the UN talks on cluster bombs will not be stalled by the fact that this country has about 4 different types of them. Japan participates in talks, while the US is not "a party" meaning it does not even want to discuss the issue.

China and Russia also do not participate. Why? Any Chinese or Russian reader of this humble blog who would like to shed some light...?

Daily reports from the conference here.

Countries that "acknowledge they cause unacceptable harm to civilians but seek a transition period to allow them to develop alternatives" are Britain, France, Germany, Japan, Switzerland and Japan in this group.

I have no idea why modern democracies in a civilized world still needs cluster bombs or any weapons of mass destruction.

Read more:

Reuters/IHT: U.N. calls for global cluster bomb ban


The Dublin Diplomatic Conference on Cluster Munitions will take place from 19-30 May 2008 in Dublin, Ireland. An earlier article notes that the Pope encourages the conference to ban cluster bombs.

The pope said he was praying for the victims of cluster bombs and their families as well as for the successful outcome of the Dublin meeting.

Maybe he should also pray that Israel, India and Pakistan would join this important effort to stop suffering on our small, fragile planet before everyone has lost hope all together.

IHT/Reuters: Pope encourages conference on cluster bomb ban

Image from CMC, the international network of over 200 civil society organisations in 50 countries committed to protecting civilians from the effects of cluster munitions. Members of the CMC network work together on an international campaign calling on governments to conclude a new international treaty banning cluster munitions by 2008. More information on the CMC is available online at Stop Cluster Munitions.org.

Click to enlarge...

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