11 September 2009
Chile hosts regional meeting on cluster bomb ban treaty
Chile hosts regional meeting on cluster bomb ban treaty
NGOs call for more ratifications and signatures in Latin America and Caribbean
WHAT From 14-15 September 2009, Chile will host the fourth regional meeting on cluster munitions for Latin America and the Caribbean - the first to take place since the Convention on Cluster Munitions opened for signature in Oslo in December 2008.While Latin America has played a leading role in global efforts to ban cluster bombs, two countries that have produced the weapon, Argentina and Brazil, remain outside the ban. In the Caribbean, so far only Jamaica has signed the ban.WHEN Monday 14 September 2009•9.00 Opening ceremony with speeches from a high level Chilean government official and the Resident Representative of the United Nations•9.45 Press conference immediately following the opening ceremony with representatives from Chile, Norway, the UN and civil societyWHERESheraton Santiago Hotel and Conference Center,Avda Santa Maria 1742, Santiago, ChileWHOPress Conference:-Representative of the Government of Chile-Mr. Enrique Ganuza, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme in Chile-Mr. Martin Bjørndal, Ambassador of Norway to Chile-Ms. Pamela Velásquez, Instituto de Ecología Política and Cluster Munition CoalitionOfficial conference:-Government representatives from 13 signatory and 8 non-signatory States in the region-United Nations, International Committee of the Red Cross-Civil society campaigners from the regionCONTACTThomas Nash, Cluster Munition Coalitiontel. +44 7711 926 730,thomas@stopclustermunitions.orgPamela Velasquez, Instituto de Ecología Políticatel. +56 9820 3583pamevelasquez@gmail.com
