17 September 2008

Cluster Bomb Ban Meeting to be held in Sofia, Bulgaria

CMC Media Advisory (17 September 2008)The Government of Bulgaria is convening the Sofia Conference on the Convention on Cluster Munitions, a regional meeting of governments and civil society experts to discuss the new international treaty banning cluster bombs and requiring their clearance and assistance to survivors. This historic agreement will be opened for signature in Oslo, Norway on 3 December 2008WhenThe conference starts with an opening plenary at 15.00 on Thursday 18 September to be followed by a press briefing at 15.30. It concludes at midday on Friday, 19 September.WhereRadisson SAS Grand Hotel, 4, Narodno Sabranie Square, Sofia, Bulgaria.WhoA total of 10 governments from the Regional Cooperation Council will attend: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, and Turkey; Chair of the Dublin negotiations Ambassador Daithi O'Ceallaigh, Chair of the Council on Ethics for the Norwegian Government Pension Fund Dr. Gro Nystuen, and experts from the International Committee of the Red Cross and other international agencies;Former deminer Branislav Kapetanovic and other Serbian cluster bomb survivors;Cluster Munition Coalition campaigners from Albania, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, France, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Serbia, Turkey and the United Kingdom, will attend this meeting as well as experts from Handicap International, Human Rights Watch and other NGOs.Further Information:CMC Fact Sheet on Cluster Munitions in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central AsiaCMC Website on the Sofia Conference Contact Thomas Nash, Coordinator, Cluster Munition Coalition, +44-7711-926-730.Mary Wareham, Human Rights Watch, +359-2-9-334-334 x 224ยท In London, Natalie Curtis, CMC +44 (0)20 7820 0222 or + 44 (0) 7515 575174Media Advisory