DYB2011-Part-II-web

Conventional weapons issues
developments in this field. Information on CBMs provided by Member States
to UNODA is available in its online database. 32
Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons
In its thirty-first year, the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons
continues to serve as a pillar of International Humanitarian Law and
humanitarian action. It remains a flexible and dynamic framework, making a
tangible difference in the lives of people caught in the cross-hairs of conflict.
Ban Ki-moon, United nations secretary-General 33
Negotiations on cluster munitions in the lead-up to the Fourth Review
Conference 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,
also known as the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), 34
dominated the focus of the States parties. The negotiations had been under
way for four years in the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE), which was
mandated to continue the negotiations in 2011 with a view to putting forward
a recommendation to the Fourth Review Conference. 35
The GGE met three times in 2011 (21 to 25 February, 28 March to
1 April and 22 to 26 August) with Jesus S. Domingo (Philippines) being
reappointed for a second term as Chairperson. Throughout the three sessions,
he was assisted by four Friends of the Chair: Jim Burke (Ireland) and
Leonidas Hidalgo (Philippines) led discussions on the preamble, general
provisions and scope of application, definitions, general prohibitions and
restrictions, and the technical annexes; and Philip Kimpton (Australia) and
Anesa Kundurovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina) focused on discussions on the
reporting requirements, transfers, possible review of the technical annexes
and overall structure of the text.
The negotiations on cluster munitions remained contentious on a
number of issues. As an example, the Chairperson’s text36 prohibited cluster
munitions produced before 1 January 1980 and allowed for compliance with
32 Available from www.un.org/disarmament/convarms/infoCBM/.
33 Message of the Secretary-General to the Fourth Review Conference of the States Parties to
the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, delivered by Kassym-Jomart Tokayev,
Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, Geneva, 14 November 2011.
Available from http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2011/sgsm13941.doc.htm (accessed
2 June 2012).
34 The Convention is also known as the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. The
treaty text and adherence status are available from http://disarmament.un.org/treaties/.
35 CCW/MSP/2010/5, para. 35.
36 CCW/CONF.IV/9 and Rev.1.
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