Smíšené instrumenty a zákaz použití některých druhů zbraní za ozbrojených konfliktů

Mixed instruments combine the elements of disarmament law and humanitarian law. The concept of disarmament embraces a partial or complete reduction and elimination of weapons and armed forces. Disarmament defined in the broad sense includes a range of measures which do not lead to the act of giving up weapons in itself, but facilitate their reduction or modification, restrict proliferation of weapons, their tests, etc. In principle, disarmament is based on political aspects. On the other band the aim of humanitarian law in the broad sense is the protection of victims of armed conflicts, prohibition of specific methods and means of warfare, etc. There are several international treaties which include disarmament and humanitarian aspects – The Chemical Weapons Convention of 1993, The Anti-Personnel Mines Convention of 1997, The Convention on Cluster Munitions of 2008. Some elements of both areas of international law are included in The Biological Weapons Convention of 1972 (disarmament convention) and The Certain Conventional Weapons Convention of 1980 (humanitarian law convention). As for the prohibition of weapons, the most efficient way would be to impose an unconditional ban. For example, only a complete ban on anti-personnel mines would substantially prevent their indiscriminate effects and profound destructive impacts on civilian population.