Switzerland signs the Convention on Cluster Muntions
Bern, 01.12.2008 - Federal Councillor Micheline Calmy-Rey, head of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, will sign on behalf of Switzerland the Convention on Cluster Munitions on 3 December 2008 in Oslo.
Following tough negotiations, a total of 111 States approved by consensus the Convention on Cluster Munitions on 30 May in Dublin. This Convention which bans the use of cluster munitions is an important milestone in the history of international humanitarian law. Each State Party undertakes to destroy their stocks of such weapons within eight years after the entry into force of this Convention for that State Party.
Switzerland was actively involved in the negotiations for a compromise between security policy and humanitarian concerns, and made a decisive contribution in Dublin to ensuring that the Convention was approved by consensus. With entry into force of the Convention, Switzerland will be obliged to amend the Federal Act on War Material. In the coming year, the Federal Council will submit a Message to Parliament to this effect, requesting it to ratify the Convention.
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