Disarmament, Amb. Mati: Keeping an eye on “robot killers”

The new Italian Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, Ambassador Vinicio Mati, cited the importance of monitoring developments in military research, particularly in the case of “robot killers”, i.e. weapons activated without a human component, and of banning anti-personnel mines.

Mati underscored the need to intensify international efforts at keeping the spot light on the potential humanitarian problems deriving from the development of new systems of robotic arms capable of acting without human control.

10 million euro over the past 5 years for removal of unexploded bombs

He also pointed out the the Italian government’s financial support from projects (more than 10 million euro’s worth over the past 5-year period) aimed at the removal of unexploded bombs and more at demining activities in general.

Topics considered by Minister Bonino in her meeting with Nobel laureate Jody Williams

The same topics were confronted in recent days by Minister Emma Bonino in a meeting with Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jody Williams, with whom she agreed on the importance of following the debate on this theme closely and of monitoring developments in research in order to stimulate critical debate, especially within the context of the EU.