NORWAY HOSTS CONFERENCE TO BAN CLUSTER BOMBS

From Mari Holmboe Ruge, WILPF Norway (Bergen) to Susi Snyder, WILPF Secretary General

. . .the main item for this mail is the campaign against Cluster ammuntions.

We (both NGOs and government people) appreciate the appeal from WILPF to the sections encouraging them to lobby their governments regarding participation in the Norwegian-organised conference. The dates have now been set: February
22-23. I understand that ca 40 Governments have been invited. We could try
to get the list of invited Governments from the Ministry, but it is possible
that you could get it from the Mission of Norway in Geneva. Let us try both ways.

The aim of that conference is to arrive at a platform for the further work
towards a convention or agreement. It is expected that attitudes and
engagement will vary considerably, indeed the organisers are apprehensive
because the turnout may prove to be rather small, here lobbying by NGOs
could be very important.

There will be NGO-acitivities in the period Feb 20-23 related to the
conference in February, organised by the international Cluster Munitions
Committee and its Norwegian branch, Norwegian Peoples' Aid, the primary
Norwegian mine-clearing organisation. There will be some places for NGO
observers at the conference, and a separate NGO program with seminars and
some "media-attractions" outside the conference venue. NGOs "outside" the
CMC may come but there will be very limited space for them (us? - Is WILPF
a member of CMC?) . My recommendation is that WILPF concentrate its
attendence on the activities in Oslo in September (see below).

However, considering WILPF's previous engagement and monitoring of the
conference last fall, I think it should be considered to send one of your
Geneva team to the February meetings anyhow. We could try to get travel
money from the Norw. ministry, which has announced that they are dependent
on and grateful for NGO efforts in order to succeed with this campaign.

The main event will be in September - week 38 - in the context of the 10
years' anniversary for the Land Mine Campaign. There will be a Government
meeting and a broad NGO program. The overall goal of this celebration will
be to "secure knowledge and awareness about the efforts from NGOs and
local communities against violence, maiming and killing, aswell assistance to
victims. Further to reflecton goals and methods for strengthening human
security taking into consideration the efforts in some centrals fields:
Mines and explosives, international Criminal Court and The Hague Court,
environmental security (CSD), SR 1325, handicap's rights (mine victims).
The preparation and implementation of the NGO activities in relation to this
anniversary should lead to a common platform for strengthing NGO work in
the context of human security. " (From a background document prepared for a
NGO meeting January 9.)

The Nobel Women's Initiative (headed by Jody Williams) will be present in
Oslo during the week and host a conference. Their conference will probably
focus on "lessons learned" by popular campaigns and organisations in a
number of fields, not only peace and security - a very important theme.
The Land Mine Campaign is a prime example of success.

The practical aspects of the NGO acitivities will be coordinated by an
umbrella organisation for development and environment, of which WILPF
Norway is an active member. The Norw. Government is prepared to fund NGO seminars
etc during the celebration or before.

In our opinion, WILPFshould start the planning of an international seminar
on our perspective in relation to these matters, and apply for funding as
soon as possible - there will be no fixed deadline for applications. The
seminar/workshop could take place inOslo in September, but the Ministry is
also open for relevant activities in other contexts, which could
contribute to increased awareness and knowledge. Could the March Seminar still be
open for this theme - at least in part ? Can we think of something during
Congress? Or should WILPF go to Oslo in September ? WILPF Norway will be
happy to host you. We will follow the work in the preparatory group closely
and keep you informed, but will probably not have capacity to organise a workshop etc

on our own, except for a possible common effort by Nordic
sections which has not been discussed with them at all.

All this information is brand new - the first formal meeting of the NGO
preparatory group took place January 9.

Edel will forward this information to Carol Urner, who has asked to be
updated on these matters. She has her e-mail address.

Greetings, Mari Holmboe Ruge, WILPF Norway, (Bergen)
(sent January 10, 2007)