On Friday, the United States concluded that it would comply with Ukraine’s request for cluster weapons. Several NATO countries have been skeptical about this. Spain and Canada have criticized the decision, while British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has responded that they advise against the use of such weapons. Norway’s foreign minister, Anniken Huitfeldt (Ap), is cautious in his statements. – What do you think about the USA donating cluster munitions to Ukraine? – Neither Ukraine nor the USA has signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions. But it is completely out of the question for Norway to do this, because we are bound by this convention, which we have been the driving force behind, replies Huitfeldt. As Norway’s foreign minister, Jonas Gahr Støre was central to the work on the cluster weapons convention. JOnas Gahr Støre on the lectern in Oslo City Hall, in connection with the signing of the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB Over 100 countries have signed the cluster weapons convention from 2010. The international agreement prohibits the use of cluster weapons. But neither the US, Ukraine nor Russia signed the agreement. Cluster munitions Photo: MOHAMMED ZAATARI / AP Cluster munitions are weapons that contain several smaller explosive charges. These are packed into bombs dropped from aircraft, or grenades fired from cannons. The shells or bombs open before they hit the ground. The smaller charges can make large areas fatal when they fall. They can remain as deadly threats to innocent people even long after the conflicts in which they were used are over. Curious children are particularly exposed to the danger from the weapons. In 2008, an international convention against cluster munitions was concluded. 111 countries have joined this convention, but several large producers and exporters of weapons are still outside. According to a report presented by Norwegian People’s Aid, 85 million such weapons have been defused since 2008. Sources: Norwegian People’s Aid, Cluster Munitions Coalition CMC/NTB “Taper ammunition” Cluster weapons are bombs or grenades that open in the air and can launch hundreds of smaller explosive charges over a large area. CLUSTER BOMBS: The use of cluster bombs is controversial, and several countries ban their use. Here from an exercise in the year 2000. Photo: AFP / AFP Those that do not detonate can remain for many years afterwards and often hit civilians who have their arms and legs torn off. – Cluster munitions are prohibited for a reason, says Marc Garlasco to news. He is a former Pentagon intelligence analyst and is now a military adviser at Pax for Peace in the Netherlands. Garlasco believes that the Ukrainians want cluster weapons to pave the way towards the Russian border. – But by doing that, they are going to kill more Ukrainian soldiers than Russian ones. Ukraine is winning this war with precision weapons, not outdated cluster weapons, says Garlasco. Marc Garlasco strongly opposes the US decision to send cluster munitions to Ukraine. Photo: AP The cluster munitions that the US will provide have not been used by the Americans themselves since 2003, says Garlasco. He refers to a report from the US military in which the cluster munitions are characterized as “loser ammunition”, because they are old-fashioned and outdated. High error rate Garlasco is also critical of the error rate that the US believes the weapons have. The Pentagon said Friday that the weapons it was about to send down had a failure rate of 2.35 percent or less. It should be much better than what cluster bombs normally have. But new information from the Pentagon may indicate that there are older shells to be sent down, with an error rate of 14 percent or more. – It’s ridiculous, these weapons have been tested in unrealistic environments. The reality is that they have an error rate of over 20 percent, says Garlasco. – Too weak – It is too weak for Norway to simply say that they will not donate or finance cluster munitions, says Grethe Østern from Norwegian People’s Aid. Grethe Østern in Norwegian People’s Aid. Photo: Norwegian People’s Aid She believes that Norway should be clear that they discourage all use of this type of ammunition. – We have made our view known among the other NATO countries. But neither Ukraine nor the United States is bound by this convention. A lot of cluster munitions have been used on the Russian side, Huitfeldt responds to the criticism from Norwegian People’s Aid. – What do you think about the fact that cluster munitions are used to such a large extent in the war? – Cluster munitions have been used massively on the Russian side. And now the US is also donating cluster munitions to Ukraine. These are weapons that have major humanitarian consequences, and they can last for a long time after the war is over, replies the foreign minister. The NATO summit starts in Vilnius on Monday. – Cluster munitions will probably not be a large part of the discussion at the meeting. Here there are different opinions among NATO’s member states, says Huitfeldt.
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The US is criticized for cluster weapons to Ukraine. Norway holds back. – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
