JOYCE WATSON AM (Mid and West Wales) will host a meeting to discuss cluster munitions at the National Assembly for Wales from 12 noon to 1.30pm today, Wednesday 22nd October 2008.
Mrs Watson will open the event, and speakers will include Olive Newton, Soroptomists International Wales, Felicity Fletcher, UNIFEM United Nations Development Fund for Women, Stephen Thomas, United Nations Association Wales, Richard Moyes, Policy & Research Director of Landmine Action & Co-Chair of the Cluster Munition Coalition and Anne Dunne, Regional President of Soroptomists International Wales
They will discuss cluster munitions and the Oslo Treaty.
Joyce Watson AM said: “Children are often the victims of cluster bombs, and I am determined that they should not grow up in a world where these bombs are still acceptable.
“The UK government played a strong role in ensuring the successful outcome of the recent Dublin Diplomatic Conference on Cluster Munitions. The Convention agreed at this conference will have a far reaching humanitarian impact, ensuring that cluster munitions will never have the chance to kill and maim civilians through future use. It will also provide unprecedented assistance to those affected by these weapons, setting new standards for international human rights and international humanitarian law.
“The Convention will be open for signing and ratification in Oslo on 3rd December 2008. The UK must continue to play a leadership role through early ratification and implementation to help stigmatise these weapons across the world and actively discourage those who have not signed it from using cluster munitions.”
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