Cruel weapons discussed

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33649, 26 September 1974, Page 15

Cruel weapons discussed

(N Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) LUCERNE (Switzerland), September 25. Government experts from about 50 nations yesterday opened a four-week conference to sound out international feeling for an agreement banning or restricting weapons classified as unnecessarily cruel.

The arms to be discussed by about 400 experts include napalm, other incendiary weapons, small-calibre missiles, blast and fragmentation weapons, delayed - action bombs, and land mines. Dr Eric Martin, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (1.C.R.C.), under whose auspices the conference is being held said in an opening speech: "The I.C.R.C. is conscious of that dark threat hanging over mankind, the ever-possible use of vyeapons of mass destruction. “But it is also conscious of the other problems that our generation must face, Problems less dramatic perhaps but unhappily very real, caused by the use of certain weapons we call conventional.” Dr Martin added: “It would not be forgotten that all the

dead and wounded in the conflicts that have occurred in the last 30 years were the victims of conventional weapons and not weapons of mass destruction.” The conference will submit a report to the 126 the second stage of the diplomatic conference on updating the Geneva conventions on armed conflicts, due to be held in Geneva next February. Red Cross officials also expect the Lucerne gathering’s report to be debated at the current United Nations. General Assembly in New York. The experts, who include scientists, doctors and jurists, will consider the military value and effects of the various weapons, their possible alternatives, their accuracy and the dangers; caused to civilians and combatants. 1