Dublin talks seek global deal to ban cluster bombs

0 Comments | AFP, May, 2008

DUBLIN (AFP) — UN chief Ban Ki-moon called Monday for a "visionary" global deal to ban cluster bombs, as delegates from more than 100 countries opened a conference here aimed at outlawing the lethal weapons.

The 12-day talks, at Dublin's Croke Park Gaelic sports stadium, is aiming for a wide-ranging international pact that would completely wipe out the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster munitions among signatories.

Ireland's Foreign Minister Micheal Martin, opening the conference, said: "Together, we owe it to the survivors of cluster munitions to ease their pain and give them hope.

"We owe it to humanity to ensure there will be no more innocent civilian victims of cluster munitions," he told envoys from 109 countries and 19 observer...