VATICAN CITY, NOV 24, 2006 (VIS) - On November 17, Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi C.S., permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations and International Institutions in Geneva, delivered an address at the closing session of the "Third Review Conference of States Parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons" (CCW).
"It is regrettable," said the archbishop in his English-language address, "that States Parties were unable to reach agreement on a legally binding instrument on Mines Other Than Anti-Personnel Mines (MOTAPM). The failure to achieve such an agreement has left a real disappointment in the expectations of many people who see that it could have provided a good and adequate response to the humanitarian concerns posed by these weapons. For now, then, strong and specific national measures will have to be taken by individual States to make up for this impasse until an international consensus can be reached."
Archbishop Tomasi pointed out how his delegation has "supported from the beginning negotiations for a legally binding instrument on cluster munitions and opted for a moratorium in the meantime, prompted by the overwhelming evidence of the humanitarian disasters caused by such weapons, especially on the civilian population."
"Since the humanitarian dimension of this question is so serious, and demands an urgent response, it is understandable and worthwhile that all additional initiatives that can be taken to move forward the process towards an international agreement be encouraged."
DELSS/ARMS/TOMASI:GENEVA VIS 20061124 (240)
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