28 November 2008

END OF THE ROAD FOR CLUSTER BOMBS AS GOVERNMENTS GATHER TO SIGN GLOBAL BAN IN OSLO

Most significant disarmament and humanitarian treaty of the decade opens for signature WHAT: Convention on Cluster Munitions Signing ConferenceHeads of State, Foreign Ministers and senior government representatives from over 100 countries are expected to gather in Oslo to sign a worldwide ban on the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster bombs.   It will be the most significant humanitarian and disarmament treaty of the decade.The Convention on Cluster Munitions, which contains the strongest ever provisions for victim assistance in international law, will be signed on 3 December, the International Day of  Persons with Disabilities and the anniversary of the signing of the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty.  The signing follows 18 months of intense negotiations known as the “Oslo Process” and marks the start of the treaty’s implementation worldwide.                        The Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC), a network of over 300 non government organisations from 80 countries will participate in the conference undertaking a range of public actions, high impact photo and filming opportunities and public talks. WHEN: 2–4 December 2008 13:30 (CET) Tuesday, 2 DecemberThe Ban Bus, a campaign bus that has travelled 10,000 kilometers across Europe generating support for the treaty will arrive in Oslo to address parliamentarians outside the Norwegian Parliament. 10:00 (CET) Wednesday, 3 DecemberThe formal conference opens on 3rd December with an address from the Norwegian Prime Minister, CMC spokesperson, a UN representative and International Committee of the Red Cross President, Jakob Kellenberger.  Government representatives of affected countries Lao PDR and Lebanon will join Austria, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Zambia and The Holy See, in being the first to ink the new treaty and will address the conference in this opening ceremony as they sign. A press conference will follow the opening ceremony at approximately 11:15 (CET) WHO: Heads of State, Foreign Ministers and senior members of government expected from over 100 countries- 250 campaigners from 75 countries- Survivors of cluster bombs and landmines from Albania, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Croatia, Iraq, Lao PDR, Lebanon, Serbia, Tajikistan, USA and Vietnam.- Nobel Peace Laureates- Former military- Cluster munition clearance experts and deminers from Cambodia, Bosnia and Herzegovina [incl. 2 dogs], Lebanon [incl. 2 female clearance experts], Serbia, Vietnam, and Western Sahara. A full list of interviewees will be circulated shortly.  WHERE: Oslo City Hall, Oslo, Norway MEDIA ACCREDITATION: All journalists must register with the Norwegian MFA here: www.osloccm.noCertificates of accreditation will be issued from a designated desk in Oslo Plaza Hotel, between 18:00 on Monday 1 December and 08:00 on Wednesday 3 December. A valid ID card or passport must be shown. MEDIA FACILITIES:• Live position for broadcasters with satellite facility available for rent.  Contact: ms@eastproduction.dk, +45 5536 5757/ +45 2927 1729• Position for cameras, photographers and audio output at the back of the main hall (where the opening ceremony and main speeches will be held).• A live-feed (streaming) to alternate between the main hall and the signing room  Audio and live footage tapping from an outside broadcasting unit (OB van) outside the Oslo City Hall.• FTP packages for each nation’s media:  Raw material in IMX and DV PAL format including footage of each country’s representative making their speech and signing the Convention, stock shots and background material.  A link to this site, along with username and password will be generated automatically from www.osloccm.no/media. This site will be operative from 24 November.• Dedicated areas for photos and interviews inside the Oslo City Hall.• A press centre offering work stations for the media, with access to a wireless network, landline telephones, fax and photocopying facilities will also be available. VIDEO NEWS RELEASE:The CMC International video news release will be available in mini DV format, from FRIDAY 21 NOVEMBER containing:• Exclusive new footage of cluster bomb contamination in Georgia• Footage of cluster bomb stockpiles being destroyed due to the treaty• Footage of cluster bombs being dropped• Footage of the human impact of cluster bombs• Interviews with cluster bomb survivors and the CMC on the new treaty Please note: The VNR is available from the EBU, Geneva, from Nov 21, 18:30 (CET) until Dec 8 Reuters will feed the VNR, along with a new interview with Thomas Nash, CMC Coordinator and footage of victims from Lebanon on Dec 1st.AFP NEWS FEED:AFP will be syndicating new footage from Lao PDR, the most cluster bomb affected country in the world from FRIDAY 21 NOVEMBER. This will include footage of cluster bomb victims, hospitals, rehabilitation, prosthesis production, cluster bomb clearance, risk education in schools and strong real life stories. This is strong footage of the type of victim assistance and clearance that will be boosted by the treaty signing. For more information, interview requests, photography and broadcast quality footage contact:International media:Natalie Curtis, Cluster Munition Coalition, +44 (0)7515 575 174 (international mobile), +47 924 05050 (Norwegianmobile), Natalie@stopclustermunitions.org Samantha Bolton, Cluster Munition Coalition, +41 79 239 2366 (international mobile), +47 92 21 53 85 (Norwegian mobile) clustermunitioncoalition@gmail.comDaniel Barty, Cluster Munition Coalition and Ban Bus, +47 95 811881 (international mobile),media@thebanbus.org Sabrina Montanvert (French speaking), +33 66 424 3607 (International mobile), +47 46 50 03 13 (Norwegian mobile), S_Montanvert@yahoo.frNorwegian media:Øystein Sassebo Bryhni, Norwegian People’s Aid, +4796889009, osb@npaid.org For more information on media accreditation and interviews with the Norwegian Foreign Minister:Bjørn Svenungsen, Communications Adviser, Norwegian MFA, +47 480 45 122For more information on CMC: www.stopclustermunitions.orgTo download high resolution images of cluster bombs and their impact go to: www.flickr.com/photos/clustermunitioncoalitionRead the press release here:Media advisory