GROUP OF EXPERTS ON CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS CONVENTION CONCLUDES EIGHTH SESSION

GROUP OF EXPERTS ON CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS CONVENTION CONCLUDES EIGHTH SESSION

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 16 July (UN Information Service) -- The Group of Governmental Experts of the States parties to the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects (CCW), established by the Second Review Conference of the States parties to the Convention in December 2001, concluded its Eighth Session today at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

The Group was chaired by Ambassador Gordan Markotić of Croatia, Chairman-designate of the Meeting of the States parties to the Convention to be held on 18 and 19 November 2004.  Two coordinators also chaired meetings of the respective working groups:  Ambassador Jayant Prasad of India on Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) and Ambassador Markku Reimaa of Finland on Mines Other Than Anti-Personnel Mines (MOTAPM).

In November 2003, the State parties to the Convention reached agreement on mandates for the continuation of the work of the Group in 2004 on the issues of ERW, MOTAPM as well as on the possible options to promote compliance with the Convention and its annexed Protocols.

On the issue of ERW, the Group held two meetings, as well as two meetings of military experts under the chairmanship of Lt. Col. Bernard Jeanty of Switzerland.  It considered the implementation of existing principles of International Humanitarian Law and further studied, on an open-ended-basis, and with particular emphasis on meetings of military and technical experts, possible preventive measures aimed at improving the design of certain types of munitions, including sub-munitions, with a view to minimize the humanitarian risk of these munitions becoming explosive remnants of war.  Exchange of information, assistance and cooperation was also part of this work.

On the issue of MOTAPM, the Group held nine meetings, as well as two meetings of military experts chaired by Brig. Gen. Juha Kilpiä of Finland.  It considered various specific aspects of these mines which were thought to have excessive humanitarian consequences -- including sensitive fuses, marking and fencing, and anti-handling devices among others -- with the aim of elaborating appropriate recommendations on mines other than anti-personnel mines for submission to the next Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention to be held in Geneva on 18 and 19 November 2004.

The Group also held two meetings to consider possible options for promoting compliance with the Convention and its annexed Protocols, chaired by Ambassador Markotić.  Discussions focused on finding ways to enhance the existing compliance mechanism.  The Group will hold its Ninth Session from 8 to 16 November 2004.

The Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), also known as the Inhumane Weapons Convention, was concluded on 10 October 1980, and entered into force on 2 December 1983.  It comprises five protocols which ban or restrict the use of various types of weapons that are considered to cause unnecessary or unjustifiable suffering or to have other humanitarian consequences.  The weapons currently covered include weapons leaving undetectable fragments in the body (Protocol I), certain types of landmines and booby-traps (Protocol II), incendiary weapons (Protocol III), and blinding laser weapons (Protocol IV).  Currently, 94 States are party to the Convention.  On 28 November 2003, the Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention adopted Protocol V on Explosive Remnants of War.  In this regard, the Group welcomed the submission by Sweden of the instrument of ratification of Protocol V to the United Nations Secretary-General as the Depositary, as it was the first CCW State Party to have done so.

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