Treaties

Senators Feinstein and Leahy and Representative McGovern Introduce Joint Resolution Calling on the United States to Sign International Treaty Banning Cluster Bombs

June 3, 2008 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), and Representative James P. McGovern (D-Mass.) today introduced a joint resolution calling on the United States to sign on to a new treaty to ban the vast majority of cluster munitions.

The resolution specifically calls on the United States to “embrace efforts to protect innocent civilians from cluster munitions and sign the Convention on Cluster Munitions when it becomes open for signature in December 2008.”    » read more »

Dublin, May 30, 2008 – The new cluster munitions treaty adopted in Dublin on May 30, 2008, will save thousands of lives for decades to come, with key treaty provisions stronger than even some of its staunchest supporters had expected, Human Rights Watch said today.

The treaty immediately bans all types of cluster munitions, rejecting initial attempts by some nations to negotiate exceptions for their own arsenals, as well as calls for a transition that would delay the ban for a decade or more.

In addition to the prohibitions on use, production, stockpiling, and trade, the treaty also includes very strong provisions requiring states to provide assistance to victims and to clean up areas affected by cluster munitions.    » read more »

30 May 2008 -- Delegates from 111 countries have formally adopted a comprehensive ban on cluster bombs.

The treaty comes at the close of a 12-day meeting Friday in Dublin and bans the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster bombs. It requires signatories to destroy their stocks within eight years and to assist in clearing contaminated areas.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the development and urged all countries to sign the pact without delay.

The United States - one of the world's largest cluster bomb makers - opposes a ban. It boycotted the Dublin conference, along with Israel, Russia, China, India and Pakistan.    » read more »

21 May 2008 -- The U.S. State Department said Wednesday a pending international treaty banning cluster munitions could have unintended consequences for international military cooperation in such areas as disaster relief. The United States and several other major military powers are not taking part in the 100-nation treaty talks in Dublin.

B-1B Lancer releashes cluster munitions: Air Force photo

State Department officials say they share international concern about civilian casualties caused by cluster bomb munitions lingering in former battle zones.    » read more »

May 21, 2008 -- Washington, DC – Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) held a hearing this morning entitled, “Defense Trade Cooperation with the United Kingdom and Australia.” The Committee heard testimony from John C. Rood, Acting Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Affairs at the State Department.

The full text of Sen. Biden’s opening statement from this morning’s hearing is below:

“Forty years ago, the Arms Export Control Act was enacted to fashion an orderly process for promoting U.S. arms sales while preventing the spread of advanced military technology and equipment to our enemies or to countries that might misuse those exports.    » read more »

If approved by Senate, agreement will boost military industry cooperation

27 June 2007 -- Washington -- The United States and the United Kingdom have signed a treaty to remove bureaucratic barriers and export license requirements between the defense industries of the two allies.

President Bush and former Prime Minister Tony Blair agreed on the treaty June 21. They did not meet in person, but instead exchanged signed copies of the treaty via trans-Atlantic courier. Blair stepped down June 27 after serving a decade as prime minister.    » read more »

June 15, 2007 -- Washington, D.C.--The Treasury Department today announced that on June 7, 2007 the United States delivered to the Government of Sweden a notice of termination of the tax treaty between the two countries with respect to estates, inheritances, and gifts.

In accordance with the provisions of the treaty, the notice of termination provides that the treaty will cease to have effect as of January 1, 2008.

At the time the treaty was signed, Sweden maintained a tax on inheritances and gifts.    » read more »