US-proposed code of conduct on killer robots at the United Nations. (File)
Geneva:
Rejecting calls for a binding agreement that would regulate or ban the use of weapons commonly dubbed killer robots, Washington instead proposed at the United Nations on Thursday a “code of conduct”.
Speaking at a meeting in Geneva focused on finding common ground about the use of such so-called lethal autonomous weapons, one US official disagreed with the idea of regulating their use through through a “legally binding instrument”.
The meeting saw government experts prepare for high-level talks at the review conference on the Convention on the Prohibition of Conventional Weapons from December 13 to 17.
“In our view, the best way to make progress … would be through the development of a non-binding code of conduct,” US official Josh Dorosin said at the meeting.
The United Nations has held diplomatic talks in Geneva since 2017 aimed at reaching an agreement on how to tackle the use of killer robots.
Activists and some countries have called for a complete ban on any weapon that could use lethal force without a human overseeing the process and issuing a final kill order.
In November 2018, the head of the United Nations Antonio Guterres joined the call for an embargo, but so far the countries have not even agreed on whether it is necessary to regulate weapons.
During Thursday’s debate, several countries, including India and the United States, criticized the idea of a legally binding agreement.
Dorosin insists a code of conduct “will help states promote responsible behavior and compliance with international law”.
Campaigners disagree.
“States have a historic opportunity to ensure meaningful human control over the use of force and prevent a world where machines make life-or-death decisions,” said Clare Conboy of the Campaign. stop the killer robot told AFP.
“An independent process to negotiate new killer robot legislation would be more effective and inclusive than current diplomatic negotiations,” said Bonnie Docherty, senior weapons researcher at HRW.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and was automatically generated from the feed provided.)
