Brussels
As countries meet in Geneva, Switzerland, to review the treaty on inhumane weapons as well as biological and toxin weapons, the European Parliament, meeting in Strasbourg, called upon the governments of the European Union to push for compliance with the treaty to prevent germ warfare. The European Parliament also joined the United Nations in the call for an immediate worldwide ban on cluster bombs.
165 countries signed, in 1975, the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention that bans the development and stockpiling of germ-based weapons.
In a resolution the European Parliament said that it is concerned that the European Union had not stood up to the United States and therefore it was "damaging the future of the convention and its credibility".
In the beginning of November, the United Nations demanded an immediate moratorium on the use of cluster bombs.
Estimates published by the United Nations say that during the Lebanon war, Israel has dropped about four million of the bomblets, with about 40 percent of them failing to explode on impact.
The European Parliament’s resolution says further, that "the European Parliament stresses the need for the international community to start negotiations without delay to establish a comprehensive and effective convention to ban cluster munition worldwide, in the same way as it has been done for antipersonnel mines", the resolution said.
Israel Rafalovich
U.N. OBSERVER & International Report
Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) website http://www.opbw.org
Please also see:
Israel opted for cheaper, unsafe cluster bombs in Lebanon war
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/787777.html
Gaza amenities crippled, illness on rise-aid group http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L16921291.htm
EU trio takes London by surprise with Middle East plan
http://euobserver.com/9/22895/?rk=1
Israel dismisses new peace plan
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6157144.stm
As countries meet in Geneva, Switzerland, to review the treaty on inhumane weapons as well as biological and toxin weapons, the European Parliament, meeting in Strasbourg, called upon the governments of the European Union to push for compliance with the treaty to prevent germ warfare. The European Parliament also joined the United Nations in the call for an immediate worldwide ban on cluster bombs.
165 countries signed, in 1975, the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention that bans the development and stockpiling of germ-based weapons.
In a resolution the European Parliament said that it is concerned that the European Union had not stood up to the United States and therefore it was "damaging the future of the convention and its credibility".
In the beginning of November, the United Nations demanded an immediate moratorium on the use of cluster bombs.
Estimates published by the United Nations say that during the Lebanon war, Israel has dropped about four million of the bomblets, with about 40 percent of them failing to explode on impact.
The European Parliament’s resolution says further, that "the European Parliament stresses the need for the international community to start negotiations without delay to establish a comprehensive and effective convention to ban cluster munition worldwide, in the same way as it has been done for antipersonnel mines", the resolution said.
Israel Rafalovich
U.N. OBSERVER & International Report
Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) website http://www.opbw.org
Please also see:
Israel opted for cheaper, unsafe cluster bombs in Lebanon war
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/787777.html
Gaza amenities crippled, illness on rise-aid group http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L16921291.htm
EU trio takes London by surprise with Middle East plan
http://euobserver.com/9/22895/?rk=1
Israel dismisses new peace plan
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6157144.stm