LIZ LYNNE PUSHES TO ENSURE FUNDING FOR MINE CLEARANCE

12.00.00am GMT Thu 1st Feb 2007

Speaking yesterday evening in the European Parliament, Liz Lynne MEP, a long-time campaigner against the use of cluster munitions and anti-personnel mines, Vice-President of the European Parliament's Disability Intergroup has called on the Parliament's President and fellow MEPs to secure funding for future mine clearance.

During a speech to the Parliament in Brussels, Liz stated that:

"If funding for humanitarian aid is not included in the Commission's funding programmes, then after December this year, funds for the life saving mine clearances could cease. This would have a serious impact upon a variety of development programmes in particular countries.

"I call on the President to put pressure on the Commission to look in detail at the possible consequences and loss of life that such exclusion could cause."

Coming after yesterday's Report by the US State Department highlighted that Israel may have violated the terms of its arms deals with the US by using cluster munitions in Lebanon, Liz believes that the case for the banning these barbaric weapons is overwhelming. She said:

"This report is highly damaging to the Israeli Government, which is already the subject of

international condemnation for its use of cluster munitions against civilian targets in Lebanon.

"With the latest estimate showing that only 95,300 cluster munitions have been cleared in Lebanon, Israel should now help the UN Mine Action clearance teams in Lebanon by making a statement about the areas it targeted and how many munitions it used.

"This report further reinforces the need for the British Government to support international efforts to secure a full ban on these appalling weapons."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

The Israeli Military dropped Four million bomblets on Lebanon this summer. At least 300,000 of these failed to go off but are still live in the country. Cluster munitions have also been widely used in Iraq, Afghanistan and Serbia.

The Third Review Conference of the 1980 Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW, the so-called 'inhumane weapons convention'), took place in Geneva from 7 to 17 November 2006;

The European Parliament voted in November to adopt a resolution, co-authored by Liz Lynne MEP, calling for a total ban on the production, stockpiling or use of cluster munitions.

Attached are pictures of Liz Lynne with the Chief Executive of the Mines Action Group, who visited Brussels to show support for Liz's action