Steffen Kongstad,
Ambassador Permanent Representative
President of the Third Meeting of the States Parties
to the Convention on Cluster Munitions

The recent reports from Human Rights Watch on the use of cluster munitions in Syria are of grave concern. As President of the Third Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions I condemn all use of these unacceptable weapons. The Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide issued a press release Monday 15.10.2012 where he condemns the use of cluster munitions in Syria. He says that “the use of cluster munitions is completely unacceptable and is incompatible with the norm established by the international community under the Convention on Cluster Munitions”. 

The Vientiane Declaration, adopted by the First Meeting of States Parties, states that “we condemn the use of cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilian populations and objects, by any actor. Our aim is universal adherence to the Convention”. Furthermore, Article 21 § 2 of the Convention states that “Each State Party… shall promote the norms [this Convention] establishes and shall make its best efforts to discourage States not party to this Convention from using cluster munitions”.

In line with the Vientiane Declaration as well as Article 21 of the Convention, I urge all States parties to condemn the use of cluster munitions by Syrian authorities. As President of the Third Meeting of States Parties, I further urge all States not yet party to the Convention to join, and meanwhile adhere to its prohibitions on all use, production, stockpiling and transfer of cluster munitions.