Norway extends moratorium on cluster bombs

Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said Norway wants to take the lead in efforts to achieve an international ban on cluster munitions, according to reports from Oslo on Saturday.

The government has therefore decided to extend a moratorium on the type of cluster grenades stockpiled in Norway, Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) reported, quoting the foreign minister.

Stoere said that the Norwegian moratorium is important in itself, but that it is also important in terms of giving Norway the necessary international credibility, now that the government has decided to work for an international ban on cluster munitions that cause great humanitarian suffering.

"We have noted that UN agencies, Norwegian and international humanitarian organizations, as well as other interested countries expect Norway to take the lead in this work," the Norwegian Minister said.

Norway will now take the initiative vis-a-vis like-minded countries and other cooperation partners such as the UN, the Red Cross movement and other humanitarian actors, in order to start a negotiating process, according to the minister.

Source: Xinhua