- During September of 2004 I launched an international
campaign to conclude a global pact against depleted uranium (DU) munitions
by having every state in the world officially and publicly take the position
that the Geneva Protocol of 1925 already includes within itself a flat-out
prohibition on the use of DU in wartime, which they have no yet done.
So far the United States is the only government in the world that uses
DU munitions during wartime. In addition to prohibiting "the use
of bacteriological methods of warfare," the 1925 Geneva Protocol also
prohibits "the use in war of asphyxiating, poisonous or other gases,
and of all analogous liquids, materials, or devices." Clearly DU
is "analogous" to poison gas.[i] But we need every government
in the world to legally and openly take that position. Then the entire
world can pressure the United States to remove DU munitions from its arsenal.
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- Politically, the easiest way to accomplish that objective
is not the conclusion of a new international treaty prohibiting the use
of DU, but rather simply having every state in the world submit an interpretative
Letter to that effect to the Government of France, which is the official
depositary for the 1925 Geneva Protocol. This latter approach would also
avoid the need to have the respective national legislatures of every state
in the world to approve a new anti-DU treaty and thus complicate and prolong
the process. All that needs to be done is for anti-DU citizens, activists
and NGOs in each country of the world to pressure and convince their respective
Foreign Ministers to sign, date, and then file this model Letter with the
French Foreign Minister as indicated below. That task is eminently feasible.
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- As the Land Mines Treaty has already demonstrated, it
is possible for a coalition of determined activists and NGOs, acting in
concert with at least one sympathetic state, such as Canada, to actually
bring into being an international treaty to address humanitarian concerns.
This template Letter is for the use of concerned citizens, activists and
NGOs worldwide, to pursue through universal governmental participation
the complete and final elimination of DU munitions from the face of the
earth:
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- His Excellency Michel Barnier
-
- Foreign Minister
- French Republic
- 37, Quai d'Orsay
- 75351 Paris
- FRANCE
-
- FAX: 33-1-43-17-4275
-
-
- Dear Excellency:
-
- The Republic of X presents its compliments to the French
Republic. I have the honor to draw to your attention the Protocol for
the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or Other Gases,
and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare of 17 June 1925, for which the
Government of the French Republic serves as the depositary. The Geneva
Protocol of 1925 prohibits the use in war of asphyxiating, poisonous or
other gases, and of all analogous liquids, materials or devices, as well
as the use of bacteriological methods of warfare. The government of X
believes that the Geneva Protocol of 1925 already prohibits the use in
war of depleted uranium, uranium ammunition, uranium armor-plate and all
other uranium weapons. We respectfully request your Excellency to circulate
this communication to the other High Contracting Parties to the Geneva
Protocol of 1925.
-
- Please accept, Excellency, the assurance of our highest
consideration.
-
-
-
- Foreign Minister
-
- Republic of X
-
- Day, Month, Year
-
- ---------------------------
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- [i] International Action Center, Metal of Dishonor:
- Depleted Uranium (2d ed. 1999).
-
-
- Francis A. Boyle
- Law Building
- 504 E. Pennsylvania Ave.
- Champaign, IL 61820 USA
- 217-333-7954 (voice)
- 217-244-1478 (fax)
- fboyle@law.uiuc.edu
- (personal comments only)
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