International organization against cluster bombs lobbies southeast Europe

SOFIA, Bulgaria, Sep 22 – Albania was one of the seven southeast European countries that reaffirmed their commitment last week to sign a global treaty this year banning the production and use of cluster bombs.
Greece, Turkey and Romania failed to take a clear position at a regional conference in Sofia after a May meeting in Dublin, 107 nations agreed to a treaty restricting the development, sale and use of cluster bombs, which endanger civilians. The pact will be formally signed December 3 in Oslo, Norway.
A two-day meeting organized by the Bulgarian and Norwegian foreign ministries, and supported by the Cluster Munitions Coalition, an umbrella group of campaigners against the weapon was held in Sofia.
Seven of the ten participating countries _ Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia _ said they will sign the Oslo treaty.
Activists say the weapon caused more civilian casualties in Iraq in 2003 and Kosova in 1999 than any other weapon system.