Cluster bomb conference in Belgrade

Officials from countries affected by cluster bombs have gathered in Belgrade to discuss the issue of banning their use. The conference in Belgrade will be held today and tomorrow, on the initiative of the Serbian Government, after the United Nations had decided to give Serbia information on the locations hit with the controversial weapon during the NATO-led bombing of Serbia in the spring of 1999. Cluster bomb conference in Belgrade All the event's participants support imposing of an immediate ban on the production, sale and use of cluster bombs. 23 countries will participate in the conference with the central discussions related to disposing of mines, helping victims, and international cooperation. Large producers of cluster bombs such as the United States, Russia and China have been called to join the agreement for the prohibition of the use of these weapons. Thomas Nash, coordinator of the Coalition Against Cluster Bombs, said that American, Russian and Chinese officials will not attend the conference, even though they produce the most cluster bombs and have also used them the most. “Do we really need these countries in order to reach a successful agreement that will have an effect on people’s lives? If you look at the results of the agreement for prohibiting landmines, the answers is, not really,” Nash said. Branislav Kapetanovic, a former military explosives expert, lost both of his arms and legs while trying to disarm a U.S.-made cluster bomb after the 1999 war. “You cannot hear an explosion while you're in the center of it, they say, but I did not believe them. However, when I was in the middle of one, I did not hear it, all I heard was a sound that was similar to a glass bottle falling on concrete." "At that moment I did not see anything, all I could do was call out to my colleagues for help. They ran towards me, grabbed me by the lapel of my jacket, and took me to the car. I was left without both my arms and legs,” Kapetanovic said of his ordeal. The European countries, joined by Canada, New Zealand and Australia, at the conference, are working on the development of an agreement to ban the weapons. The conference in Belgrade is part of the so-called Oslo process, which should produce an international agreement on the prohibition by the end of 2008. Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said that Serbia is discussing the possibility of a unilateral proclamation of a moratorium on the use of cluster bombs. He reminded that in 1999, NATO dropped cluster bombs contaminating about 23 square kilometers of Serbian territory. Unexploded bombs left over from the bombing campaign have since caused several casualties and at least a dozen more injuries of civilians.

Cluster bomb conference in Belgrade

All the event's participants support imposing of an immediate ban on the production, sale and use of cluster bombs.

23 countries will participate in the conference with the central discussions related to disposing of mines, helping victims, and international cooperation.

Large producers of cluster bombs such as the United States, Russia and China have been called to join the agreement for the prohibition of the use of these weapons.

Thomas Nash, coordinator of the Coalition Against Cluster Bombs, said that American, Russian and Chinese officials will not attend the conference, even though they produce the most cluster bombs and have also used them the most.

“Do we really need these countries in order to reach a successful agreement that will have an effect on people’s lives? If you look at the results of the agreement for prohibiting landmines, the answers is, not really,” Nash said.

Branislav Kapetanović, a former military explosives expert, lost both of his arms and legs while trying to disarm a U.S.-made cluster bomb after the 1999 war.

“You cannot hear an explosion while you're in the center of it, they say, but I did not believe them. However, when I was in the middle of one, I did not hear it, all I heard was a sound that was similar to a glass bottle falling on concrete."

"At that moment I did not see anything, all I could do was call out to my colleagues for help. They ran towards me, grabbed me by the lapel of my jacket, and took me to the car. I was left without both my arms and legs,” Kapetanović said of his ordeal.

The European countries, joined by Canada, New Zealand and Australia, at the conference, are working on the development of an agreement to ban the weapons.

The conference in Belgrade is part of the so-called Oslo process, which should produce an international agreement on the prohibition by the end of 2008.

Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić said that Serbia is discussing the possibility of a unilateral proclamation of a moratorium on the use of cluster bombs.

He reminded that in 1999, NATO dropped cluster bombs contaminating about 23 square kilometers of Serbian territory.

Unexploded bombs left over from the bombing campaign have since caused several casualties and at least a dozen more injuries of civilians.