Cluster Munitions

EDM number 602 in 2007-08, proposed by Martin Caton on 17/12/2007.

That this House welcomes the progress made at the Vienna International Conference, the most recent stage in the Oslo process, launched in February 2007 with the aim of agreeing a new treaty banning cluster munitions; recognises that this process is, now, supported by 138 countries and has the full backing of the United Nations; applauds the position taken by the vast majority of these nations who support a comprehensive treaty banning all forms of cluster munitions; is concerned, however, that a number of countries that currently stockpile cluster bombs, including the United Kingdom, are seeking to water down the treaty by introducing an exemption for cluster munitions that have self-destruct mechanisms, such as the Israeli manufactured M85; points to the most recent evidence from Lebanon showing that the M85 self-destruct mechanism has a failure rate close to 10 per cent. rather than the 1 per cent. rate claimed by manufacturers; and therefore calls on the Government to work for a robust treaty that will ban all cluster bombs.

This motion has been signed by a total of 77 MPs.