UNITED NATIONS. July 6: US President Bill Clinton signed two documents at he United Nations yesterday, protecting children from sexual exploitation and limiting their involvement in armed conflicts, reports AFP.

One of the agreements fixes the voluntary Inscription of soldiers to at least 15 years old of age and forbids the draft of soldiers younger than 18.

The second reinforces bans on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornogra-phy

The two documents are additions to the 1989 Convention on the rights of the child adopted May 25 by the General Assembly.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child has been ratified by 191 states except for the United States, where it has faced opposition in Congress, and Somalia. which has been without a central government since 1991.

Clinton announced that he would send the two protocols to the Senate in July. 1 hope very much they can be ratified this year." he said.

Earlier. UN Deputy Secretary General Louise Frechette declared that "it is our hope that in due time, the United States will also be able to ratify these protocols and. of course, ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Children."

The US-based rights group Human Rights Watch hailed Clinton's signing of the two pacts, and urged the US Senate to ratify both pacts and the convention of children's rights as soon as possible.

"When US soldiers participate in international peacekeeping operations, they may well find themselves face to face with a 14-year-old carrying and AK-47." said Jo Becker, who heads the group’s children's advocacy programme.