Topics In Brief

• Author: International Law Group, PLLC
• Pages: 207-208

Page 207

United States ratifies Amendment and three Protocols to Conventional Weapons Convention

On January 21, the United States deposited with the United Nations its instruments of ratification for Protocols III, IV, and V to the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons which may be deemed Excessively Injurious or to have Indiscriminate Effects [in force for U.S. Sept. 24, 1995 with declarations, reservations, and understandings] (CCW) and for an amendment to that Convention. Protocol III covers incendiary weapons, Protocol IV deals with blinding laser weapons, and Protocol V has to do with explosive remnants of war. Significantly, the Amendment expands the scope of the Convention so as to apply to non-international armed conflicts. The U.S. took a leading role in negotiating these Protocols and the Amendment. Moreover, it has long conformed with the norms contained in them, and is pleased to become a party to each of them. This action reaffirms the U.S. commitment to the development and implementation of international humanitarian law. The CCW and its Protocols are part of a legal regime that regulates the use of particular types of conventional weapons that may be deemed to pose special risks of having indiscriminate effects or causing unnecessary suff ering, especially to noncombatants. The CCW is a "framework" convention. States Parties to the CCW negotiate protocols within this framework to regulate specific types of weapons. States ratify each protocol separately.

citation: U.S. State Department Media Note #2009/072, Office of Spokesman, Washington, D.C., Friday, January 23, 2009.

Page 208

Canada and United States have signed updated agreement on emergency management

The Canadian Foreign Minister came to Washington on December 12 on his first official visit. In addition to discussing the many important issues on the...