Strasbourg, 23/05/2008 (Agence Europe) - In Strasbourg, on Thursday 22 May, the European Parliament adopted a resolution presented by six political groups (EPP-ED, PES, ALDE, Greens/EFA, UEN and GUE/NGL) on weapons containing depleted uranium (491 votes to 18, with 12 abstentions). It urges member states to adhere to paragraph 1 of the United Nations resolution of 5 December 2007, and to submit a report with their views on the effects of the use of armaments and ammunition containing depleted uranium. It recommends that the EU High Representative include in the forthcoming revised version of the European Security Strategy the need to give serious thought to the future utility of unguided munitions, as well as cluster bombs, mines and other weapons of indiscriminate effect, such as depleted uranium weapons. It calls on the Council and the Commission to have scientific studies carried out into the use of depleted uranium in all regions where European and international military and civilian personnel have been deployed. It urges member states, the Council and the Commission to provide full information to their military and civilian personnel on mission, as well as to their professional organisations, about the probability that depleted uranium has been or might be used in their region of operations, and to take sufficient protective measures. Parliament calls member states and the Council to take the lead in working towards an international treaty establishing a ban on the development, production, stockpiling, transfer, testing and use of uranium weapons as well as the destruction or recycling of existing stocks, should there be conclusive scientific evidence of harm caused by such weapons. (O.J.)