Paris (AFP)
One hundred and fifteen parliamentarians from various quarters urged France to "rise to the challenges" of the future international declaration which aims to put an end to the bombing of civilians in populated areas, in a tribune published on Sunday by La Croix.
"The diplomatic negotiations will culminate at the Dublin conference in May 2020 with a text whose impact could be historic for the future of civilians" and "we call on France to be truly up to the challenges of this future declaration" , ask the signatories, led by Hubert Julien-Laferrière, LREM deputy from the Rhône.
"For the ninth consecutive year, 90% of the bombing victims in urban areas are civilians. Right now in Idlib, but also in Yemen, Somalia or Ukraine, civilians are not only targeted, but they are also trapped by the power of weapons with disproportionate effects when used in cities, "they recall.
"The main issue" of the negotiations in progress "is to know if the text will include a central commitment of the States aiming at + avoiding the use of explosive weapons with large impact radius in populated areas +", underline the signatories, among which many "walkers", the leader of the communist deputies André Chassaigne or the socialist senator André Vallini.
"However, France clearly opposed this major commitment and we are worried about the position of our country expressed in Geneva in November 2019: explosive weapons with high impact and their restriction in urban areas are not mentioned by France "worry the parliamentarians.
And to insist: "France cannot be satisfied with the minimum while this historic process can become the essential tool for the protection of civilians in the world".
© 2020 AFP