1.
GV Delegates seated in United Nations Security Council. (MUTE)
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2.
SV Under Secretary General for Political and Security Council Affairs, Mikhail Sytenko speaking in English.
0.54

3.
GV PAN Vietnam Permanent Representative, Ha Van Lau walks to podium and signs agreement.
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4.
SV Egypt's Permanent Representative, Ahmed Abdel Meguid walks to podium and signs,
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5.
GVs Delegates in Assembly. (2 SHOTS)
1.39

6.
SV USSR Permanent Representative Oleg Troyanovsky, signing.
1.54

7.
SV United Kingdom Deputy Permanent Representative, Hamilton Whyte, sits and signs. (2 SHOTS)
2.19


SPEECH ON FILM (TRANSCRIPT)



SYTENKO: (SEQ 2): "The convention is a significant step forward in efforts by the international community to prohibit, or at least restrict, the use of especially cruel and inhumane conventional weapons. It is a practical expression of the renewed commitments by member states to the objectives outlined by the United Nations General Assembly in the final document of its special session devoted to disarmament. It is to be hoped that the convention will be followed by further substantive progress towards disarmament through the achievement of concrete goals which are politically attainable."





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TELERECORDING

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: INTRODUCTION: An international agreement curbing the use of incendiary weapons, landmines, booby traps and fragmentation weapons was signed at the United Nations on Friday (10 April). Thirty four nations put their names to the new United Nations convention against inhumane weapons. It's the first significant arms control accord reached under the UN's auspices. Although the Soviet Union and the major European powers have signed the convention, the Americans have not. They are said to be studying the document, which is open for signature for a year.

SYNOPSIS: The meeting, in the Security Council chamber, was addressed by Under Secretary General Mikhail D. Sytenko.

Vietnam's Permanent Representative, Ha Van Lau was one of the signatories of the agreement. The accord bans the use of weapons made of materials that X-rays can't detect in the human body - like wood, glass or plastic. It also declares that incendiary weapons, landmines and booby traps are not to be used against civilians.

The convention comes into force six months after 20 nations have ratified it. Countries which have not signed it still have a year in which to do so.

The document was put into its final shape in Geneva last year after two preparatory conferences. The Soviet Union's Permanent Representative, Oleg Troyanovsky, signed as did most of the USSR's allies. But, so far, the United States has not. A spokesman said their government was to study the document.

The document, the first of its kind, has been seen as a significant step forward in curbing particularly inhumane conventional weapons. So far it has been signed by representatives of nations in Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and South East Asia.