Find MFAT's information paper on a country or territory. (We don't have information papers on all countries.)
Glossary
Although we have tried to use plain English content
on the site, you may come across specialist
terms and acronyms. Find
out what they mean in our glossary of terms.
If you come across a term that isn't
included in the Glossary please send
us an email.
New Zealand played an active role in the
CCW Review Conference in November
2006.
New Zealand co-chaired sessions of an international meeting in Oslo on 22/23 November to set an action plan for negotiation of a new legally-binding instrument on cluster munitions. This initiative recognises the serious humanitarian impact of the use of cluster munitions on civilian populations, for example in Lebanon.
Recent speeches and statements
UN General Assembly 63: First Committee: Statement by the New Zealand Senior Negotiator for Disarmament - Conventional Weapons 21 October 2008 more
Pressure Builds Against Cluster Munitions - Hon Phil Goff 28 May 2007 [external link] more
NZ to host major cluster munitions conference - Hon Phil Goff 22 May 2007 [external link] more
New Zealand takes lead against Cluster Munitions - Hon Phil Goff 22 February 2007 [external link] more
3rd Review Conference of the Convention on Conventional Weapons 17 November 2006more
UNGA 61 : First Committee : Thematic Debate - Conventional Weapons Thursday 12 October 2006more
Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control press release on a United Nations resolution on an Arms Trade Treaty 28 September 2006 [external link] more
New Zealand statement to the United Nations Conference on Small Arms and Light Weapons 26 June 2006 (PDF 182KB) more
New Zealand Statement to the CCW Working Group on Explosive Remnants of War 5 September 2006more
Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control speech at the Launch of the 2006 edition of the Landmine Monitor 13 September 2006 [external link] more
What Does the Convention Do?
The Convention on the Prohibitions or Restrictions
on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons which
may be deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to
have Indiscriminate Effects (the CCW) [link to
treaty] is a framework treaty under which individual
protocols annexed to the Convention regulate or
prohibit the use of specific categories of weapons.
The CCW and its Protocols seek to protect civilians
from the effects of indiscriminate weapons used
in an armed conflict and to protect combatants
(and more indirectly civilians) from superfluous
injury and unnecessary suffering. 100 states have
acceded to the Convention.
The main obligations contained in the different
Protocols annexed to the CCW are summarised below:
Protocol
I: prohibits the use of weapons that employ
fragments not detectable in the human body
by X-ray.
Protocol
II: regulates the use of landmines, booby-traps
and similar devices.
Protocol
III: regulates the use of incendiary weapons
(e.g. flame throwers, rockets, grenades).
Protocol
IV: prohibits the use of blinding laser weapons.
Protocol
V: addresses explosive remnants of war (ERW).
What is New Zealand’s involvement
to date?
New Zealand is a party to the CCW and to four
of the five Protocols annexed to the CCW but has
yet to become a party to Protocol V on Explosive
Remnants of War. New Zealand is actively considering
ratification of Protocol V.
Global IssuesDisarmamentEnvironmentHuman RightsInternational SecurityInternational OrganisationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastNorth AmericaPacific
