Liz Lynne Hails Opening of European Convention Banning Cluster Bombs

4.00.00am GMT Wed 3rd Dec 2008

LibDem MEP Liz Lynne has today welcomed the official opening of the UN Convention on Cluster Munitions that will see those countries that sign it pledging to end the use of cluster bombs.

Liz has been campaigning against the use of the weapons for many years. In 2007 she co-authored a resolution in the European Parliament calling on EU Member states to pledge their support for the new UN Convention.

It is estimated that 98% of cluster bomb victims are civilians. One of the biggest problems is that often the bomblets inside them fail to detonate, being left unexploded. Many victims are children who see the objects on the ground and think they are a toy.

So far over 100 countries have pledged to sign up to the UN convention, and some, including the UK have begun to dismantle their stock piles of the deadly weapon. However, speaking today Liz Lynne urged all EU Member States to sign and ratify the convention as soon as possible and to keep up pressure on other countries to do the same.

"Cluster Bombs indiscriminately maim and kill. Those that choose to ignore this treaty and continue to stockpile or manufacture cluster bombs have blood on their hands.

"It is vital that all EU Member States throw their full weight behind this convention and that they encourage others to do the same. Only then may we finally see an end to the use of this horrific weapon."

ENDS

In addition to the resolution she co- authored, Liz Lynne MEP ran a petition in her West Midlands region constituency asking individuals to protest to the Prime Minister against the use of cluster munitions which received an encouraging response from her constituents.

On the 1st of March 2007, Liz Lynne launched a Written Declaration at the European Parliament in order to trigger a debate on the subject in the European Parliament. This was in part to mark the 8th anniversary of the Ottawa treaty on landmines, because despite unexploded bomblets having much the same effect as landmines, they were not included in this treaty.

For further information, comment or to book an interview, please contact Liz Lynne on 0032 2284 7521 or 0776 445 2725.