Plenary speech on banning cluster munitions

Mr President, I can fully agree with the previous two speakers with whom we have worked on this joint motion for a resolution. The Convention on Cluster Munitions entered into force in 2010 and most Member States were included. It is important to ban the use of cluster munitions because they cause excessive and indiscriminate damage to civilians. From a humanitarian point of view, cluster munitions are a disaster. Regrettably some Member States believe that cluster munitions are important for their security and their economy. I will not dispute the importance of security, but there are more sophisticated and less damaging ways to ensure it. Apart from use, there is trade. Most recently, we heard reports of the use of cluster munitions in Libya and apparently some Member States were involved in providing them. There will shortly be a discussion on Protocol VI during the Review Conference of Certain Conventional Weapons. This Protocol is not compatible with commitments made by Member States. On the contrary, instead of undermining the Convention on Cluster Munitions, we want more Member States to subscribe. They would join Member States who will not use, develop, produce, stockpile or transfer cluster munitions or engage in any of these prohibited activities. The EU should press Member States and candidate Member States, and be a force for a global ban on cluster munitions. If we want to be a credible actor in pushing for this important goal, we must lead by example with the inclusion of all Member States.