The gathering was snubbed by some key arms makers _ including the U.S., Russia,

46 of 49 Nations OK Ban on Cluster Bombs

By DOUG MELLGREN
The Associated Press
Friday, February 23, 2007; 7:34 AM

OSLO, Norway -- A declaration calling for a 2008 treaty banning cluster bombs
was adopted Friday by 46 out of 49 nations attending a conference in Oslo,
officials for the Norwegian government and two non-governmental groups said.

Norway's deputy foreign minister Raymond Johansen said Poland, Romania and Japan
did not approve the final declaration. Officials for Human Rights Watch and the
Cluster Munition Coalition also said those three countries dissented.

The gathering was snubbed by some key arms makers _ including the U.S., Russia,
Israel and China _ but organizers said other nations needed to forge ahead
regardless to avoid a potential humanitarian disaster posed by unexploded cluster
munitions.

-snip-

The treaty would "prohibit the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of those
cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians," the declaration said.

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