Cluster bombs – Statement by M. Bernard Kouchner, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs
Paris, 29 May 2008
We are getting to the end of the Dublin conference on cluster bombs, which began two weeks ago. A draft treaty was presented yesterday evening and supported by all the States which expressed a view, starting with France. It should be adopted by consensus on Friday morning.
Vice-Chairman of the Dublin conference, France spared no effort to achieve an ambitious agreement by getting a broad consensus on the text. I welcome this result, which endorses our determination to put an end to the humanitarian tragedy of cluster bombs. As Hervé Morin and I stressed in our communiqué of 23 May, in Dublin, France championed an unambiguous position: banning all cluster munitions, which are unacceptable because of the humanitarian damage they cause.
Since the Oslo conference, in February 2007, France has played a key role of facilitator between affected and possessor States, industrialized and developing countries, governments and NGOs so that the treaty is as effective as possible at the humanitarian level. Even before the treaty’s entry into force, France has decided to withdraw [from operational service] virtually all her stocks. She remains actively engaged in order to rally the largest possible number of countries in support of the treaty./.
Cluster bombs – Joint statement by M. Bernard Kouchner, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, and M. Hervé Morin, Minister of Defence
Paris, 23 May 2008
We are midway through the Dublin conference, which began on Monday, 19 May. We welcome the promising headway made in this negotiation.
To contribute to the momentum engaged and even before knowing the treaty’s definitive text, France has decided immediately to withdraw the M26 rocket from operational service. This is a major gesture demonstrating our armed forces’ responsible attitude. Indeed this weapon accounts for over 90% of our cluster munitions stocks.
The responsible behaviour of France, who hasn’t used cluster munitions for 17 years, shows that it is possible to reconcile humanitarian and defence requirements. Since the February 2007 Oslo conference, France has been one of the first States spurred into action by a clear goal: to prevent the humanitarian tragedies caused by cluster bombs.
In Dublin, France is defending an unambiguous position: the banning of all cluster munitions defined as unacceptable since they cause humanitarian damage.
Vice-Chairman of the Dublin Conference, France is sparing no effort to achieve an ambitious agreement bringing together as many States as possible. For the agreement to achieve maximum effectiveness at the humanitarian level, she is in fact working relentlessly to get a large consensus in favour of the draft treaty, including affected and possessor States, industrialized and developing countries, governments and NGOs./.