Beirut, Lebanon
Wednesday, 03 December 2008
United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams welcomed Lebanon’s signing today of the Convention on Cluster Munitions in Oslo.

The Convention, agreed at a diplomatic conference in Dublin (19-30 May), prohibits the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of these weapons and commits States to the clearance of areas contaminated with unexploded cluster munitions and to the provision of assistance for victims and their communities.

“This is an important milestone for Lebanon, which has itself witnessed the devastating effect of cluster munitions on civilian populations long after the violence was stopped,” Mr. Williams said.

He noted that the United Nations and the Lebanese authorities have succeeded in locating and clearing some 152,000 cluster munitions in south Lebanon but many others remain. Mr. Williams reiterated the United Nations calls on Israel to provide the strike data of the cluster bombs dropped over south Lebanon, in line with the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701.

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