Over 120 member states of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons have reached a consensus in Geneva on a non-binding text addressing autonomous weapons systems. The agreement follows more than a decade of discussions and may facilitate future negotiations on formal international treaties regarding weapons capable of operating with varying levels of autonomy. However, advocacy group Stop Killer Robots voiced concerns that definitions and civilian protection safeguards were weakened during late-stage talks. Disagreements over wording persisted between countries pushing for strict international regulations and major powers such as the United States and Russia, which favor national guidelines and flexibility. The development follows recent warnings from the United Nations and the Red Cross concerning the rapid proliferation of autonomous military technologies in contemporary conflicts.
Source : Bangkok Post
