We call on all States Parties show greater transparency through timely and more detailed reporting. We do not believe it is sufficient for a state to claim compliance without providing additional details.

In the MENA region, four countries have produced cluster munitions, two have exported them, and fifteen have stockpiles of the weapon. The region has also seen extensive use of cluster munitions.

There would have to be major changes in many articles if this draft protocol were to have any significant humanitarian impact. We do not believe it would constrain in any meaningful way any of the major users and stockpilers of cluster munitions that are not part of the Oslo Process.

A total of 19 states from the region agreed to adopt the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) in Dublin on May 30, 2008.

This draft protocol would only serve to legitimize cluster munitions and, therefore, would be harmful to the goal of protecting civilians from the ravages of war, both during and after armed conflict. We welcome and appreciate the joint statement made by the 26 nations indicating that the current draft text is unacceptable.

Many CCW States Parties frequently speak of the need to balance humanitarian concerns and military necessities. But it would appear that those who are arguing for the elimination of the definition of “cluster munition victims” are putting the key humanitarian aspect of the draft protocol to the side.

Georgian cluster munitions fired in the conflict with Russia in August 2008 caused more damage and hit more locations than previously commonly reported, Human Rights Watch said today in a presentation to the Convention on Conventional Weapons in Geneva.

We believe that no state that supports the Convention on Cluster Munitions should support this draft text. It undermines that Convention and the new standard of behavior that it represents.