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Government defends cluster munitions deployment again
December 6, 2006 9:52 AM
During parliamentary questions to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office today Willie Rennie once again questioned the government over its policy on the use of cluster munitions. The foreign secretary and other foreign office ministers have staunchly refused to commit the UK to signing a ban on these indiscriminate weapons in the face of increasing pressure over recent weeks.
Willie Rennie asked the following question:
"The Government has been trying to draw a clear distinction between smart and dumb cluster bombs, the latter of which it apparently disapproves. Why then is the government waiting until the middle of the next decade before it rids itself of its large stockpile of dumb cluster bombs? Why not ditch them now?"
Geoff Hoon, the Minister for Europe responding for the government repeated the governments tired line that cluster munitions are the most effective weapon the military have against heavy armour and did not directly address the issue of the existing stockpile of cluster munitions. Hoon also admitted that there is no international definition of so-called 'dumb' cluster bombs, of which the UK has a significant amount:
"I accept the implicit criticism in the hon. Gentleman's observation about the distinction between smart and dumb weapons. There is no internationally agreed definition."
Speaking after the exchange, Willie Rennie said:
"Yet again the government has inexplicably refused to back an international convention to ban cluster munitions. The line that they are an effective tool of the military ignores the terrible humanitarian impact that they undoubtedly have. Unexploded cluster munitions have injured or killed hundreds of innocent civilians in recent years and I for one think the government's position on this is completely unacceptable.
"I hope this sustained pressure being applied by myself and other parliamentarians will eventually come to bear and the government will see sense and at long last back a ban on cluster munitions. The vast majority of people can see that cluster munitions are disproportionately violent and cause untold damage, now all that remains is for the government to come to the same conclusion."
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