After two weeks of negotiations in Dublin, 111 participating states decided to adopt an historic new Convention on Cluster Munitions. The final statement by Norway after the adoption of the Convention was given by Ambassador Steffen Kongstad. The Convention prohibits cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians, and represents the culmination of a process started by Norway in February 2007. The Norwegian State Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, Mr. Espen Barth Eide, was invited to participate in the closing panel in Dublin, where he delivered a The final statement by Norway after the adoption of the Convention was given by Ambassador Steffen Kongstad. The Convention prohibits cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians, and represents the culmination of a process started by Norway in February 2007. The Norwegian State Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, Mr. Espen Barth Eide, was invited to participate in the closing panel in Dublin, where he delivered a
statement inviting everybody to the signing ceremony in Oslo on 3 December 2008 which will be the next step in the process. The Convention is seen as a landmark in both the humanitarian and the disarmament field. The main challenge ahead will be to ensure universalisation of the Convention and its norm, and effective implementation of its provisions.