■ SUMMER 2006, HORRIFIC SCENES IN LEBANON
During 33 days of war in South Lebanon, 4 million submunitions are dispersed . One million of them fail to explode on impact*. In the face of the disastrous situation in Lebanon, cluster munitions rise to the forefront of the international political and media agenda. Anxious to find a rapid solution, Norway, with the support of NGOs and some states, takes the decision to launch a negotiation process with the ultimate aim of achieving a treaty ban.  
 
■ 2007 – 2008: OPPOSITION FROM COUNTRIES WHICH MANUFACTURE  AND STOCKPILE CLUSTER MUNITIONS
The Oslo Conference, held on 22 and 23 February 2007, marks the start of negotiations. At the end of the conference, 46 states commit themselves to the very ambitious objective of achieving a ban on cluster munitions by the end of 2008 (the ‘Declaration of the Oslo Conference’). In order to prepare the text of the treaty ban, several international and regional conferences are held around the world between February 2007 and May 2008. The presence of NGO representatives from dozens of countries, as well as victims of cluster munitions, ensures that the negotiators constantly bear in mind the humanitarian dimension to their discussions. A fault line quickly becomes apparent however between, on the one hand, countries which manufacture, stockpile and potentially use cluster munitions and, on the other, countries which are affected by them and southern countries more generally. The principal sticking point centres on defining what type of cluster munitions will be prohibited. The first group, which includes certain European countries such as France and the United Kingdom, seek to obtain a very limited ban on cluster munitions in order to retain their right to use their stockpiles of submunitions. The second group advocates the most comprehensive ban possible. During the conferences in Lima (May 2007), Vienna (December 2007) and Wellington (February 2008), the discussions are bitter and tense.

■  30 MAY 2008, DUBLIN CONFERENCE, A CONVENTION FOR THE VICTIMS
The Dublin Conference concludes with the adoption of the future convention by 107 states. Despite some concessions obtained by certain states, the convention is a real step forward for international solidarity. All types of cluster munitions which have unacceptable humanitarian consequences are banned. Signatory states henceforward have a legal obligation to provide human and material resources to meet the needs of affected populations.

■  3 DECEMBER 2008, THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION OPENS FOR SIGNATURE
The signing ceremony will be held in Oslo on 3 and 4 December. The stakes are high because the number of states present will determine the impact of the future convention. The higher the number of states present, the greater will be the recognition of the convention as an undisputable norm of international law. Handicap International and the other members of CMC will be continuing to approach governments and mobilise public support right up until 3 December, with the aim of ensuring that at least 100 states attend the Oslo Conference to sign the Convention and that they commit themselves to ratifying it as rapidly as possible. 

*Source: the coordination centre of the UN Mine Action Programme in Southern Lebanon