Nonetheless, campaigners think the treaty will reduce and stigmatise the use of cluster munitions.

ECONOMIST: Cluster weapons

The bill allows the UK to enforce prohibitions set out in the Oslo Convention on Cluster Munitions.

BBC: Bill banning cluster munitions approved by Commons

Sudan has frequently denied ever using cluster munitions and has not signed the convention to ban the weapon.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Syria could have bought these cluster munitions from Egypt, received them through military cooperation, or acquired them another way.

CNN: The gruesome toll of deadly cluster bombs in Syria

The third snag is that 76 countries have stockpiles of cluster munitions.

ECONOMIST: Cluster weapons

The resulting Convention on Cluster Munitions, adopted May 30, 2008, comprehensively prohibits cluster munitions and requires their clearance and assistance to victims.

CNN: The gruesome toll of deadly cluster bombs in Syria

Syria's use of cluster munitions runs counter to the new international standard being created by the Convention on Cluster Munitions, rejecting any use of the weapons.

CNN: The gruesome toll of deadly cluster bombs in Syria

The preventive impact of the convention and the standard it is establishing can already be seen as countries that have joined the ban rapidly destroy their stockpiles of cluster munitions.

CNN: The gruesome toll of deadly cluster bombs in Syria

"Cluster munitions contain dozens or sometimes hundreds of explosive bomblets, so when they're used, they scatter over a very large area, often the size of several football fields, " Cheeseman said.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

The Cluster Munitions (Prohibitions) Bill received the backing of all parties as it received an unopposed third reading in the Commons on 23 March 2010, having already completed its passage through the Lords, and now goes for Royal Assent.

BBC: Bill banning cluster munitions approved by Commons