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Cluster Bomb Ban: Former Bush Administration Officials Call for Treaty (September 19, 2007)-- A former cabinet official and a former top State Department official this week joined the call for a ban on cluster bombs. Ann Veneman, former Agricultural Secretary and currently Executive Director of UNICEF, and Robert Zoellick, former State Department Deputy Secretary and current head of the World Bank, signed a statement calling for a treaty restricting the use of these indiscriminant weapons. In a press release from the UN Mine Action Team, they stated: “we strongly urge Member States to develop a legally binding instrument prohibiting cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians.” The statement reflects a growing international consensus that the high casualty tolls caused by cluster munitions cannot be tolerated, and adds momentum to an international treaty process in which 80 states are now participating. The statement came as part of a press release on landmines and broader international progress toward addressing the problem of unexploded ordnance. The group also urged countries to continue efforts, such as mine clearance, victim assistance, and landmine stockpile destruction, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Landmine Treaty. Other notable members of the Mine Action Team include: UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour, Director-General of the World Health Organization Margaret Chan, and Administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Kemal Dervis. For more information, go to: To view the full UN Mine Action Team statement, go to:
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