MEETING OF EXPERTS TO BE HELD FROM 2 TO 4 JULY TO DEAL WITH IMPACT OF EXPLOSIVE REMNANTS OF WAR

The first ever informal Meeting of Experts on the Protocol V on Explosive Remnants of War (ERW), annexed to the 1980 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), shall take place from Wednesday, 2 July to Friday, 4 July 2008 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. Ambassador Edvardas Borisovas of Lithuania, who will preside over the Second Conference, will open the Meeting of Experts. The substantive work will be chaired by five Coordinators each tasked with specific substantive issues relevant to the effective implementation of Protocol V. Five main issues will be addressed during this meeting, namely: clearance, coordination and assistance, generic electronic template, generic preventive measures, and victim assistance. The meeting will report to the Second Conference of the High Contracting Parties to be held in November this year.

Such Meetings of Experts, planned to meet annually, are integral part of an informal implementation mechanism established by the First Conference of the High Contracting Parties to Protocol V in November 2007. As stipulated in paragraph 38 of its Final Document (CCW/P.V/CONF/2007/1): “The Conference decided to establish a mechanism for consultation and cooperation consisting of informal meetings of experts, chaired by Coordinators, on issues such as: clearance; cooperation and assistance; generic preventive measures; reporting; requests for assistance with the aim to connect needs with resources; universalization; victim assistance; any other relevant issue."

The Protocol on Explosive Remnants of War (Protocol V) was negotiated by the CCW Group of Governmental Experts in 2002-2003. The Protocol was adopted by the Meeting of the States Parties to the CCW on 28 November 2003. The Protocol recognizes the serious post-conflict humanitarian problems caused by explosive remnants of war and addresses post-conflict remedial measures of a generic nature in order to minimize the occurrence, effects and the risk of explosive remnants of war.

Under Protocol V, parties which become participants in an armed conflict bear responsibility with respect to all explosive remnants of war in territory under their control. After the cessation of active hostilities, and as soon as feasible, such a Party to an armed conflict shall mark and clear, remove or destroy explosive remnants of war in affected territories under its control. Parties shall, to the maximum extent possible, record and retain information on the use of explosive remnants of war, and make available such information to the party in control of the affected areas. Parties shall take all feasible precautions to protect civilian population from the risks and effects of explosive remnants of war. Parties shall cooperate among themselves and with other States and organizations, and shall assist each other in order to fulfil their duty of clearance, removal or destruction of explosive remnants of war. States parties have also the obligation to report annually about steps taken to implement the Protocol on their territory.

Protocol V entered into force on 12 November 2006, six months after the date by which twenty States have notified their consent to be bound by it. Forty-three States have ratified the Protocol V.


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