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Group: US, Russia Block Consensus at 'Killer Robots' Meeting

by Associated Press

   GENEVA --

   A key opponent of high-tech, automated weapons known as "killer robots"
   is blaming countries like the U.S. and Russia for blocking consensus at
   a U.N.-backed conference, where most countries wanted to ensure that
   humans stay at the controls of lethal machines.

   Coordinator Mary Wareham of the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots spoke
   Monday after experts from dozens of countries agreed before dawn
   Saturday at the U.N. in Geneva on 10 "possible guiding principles"
   about such "Lethal Automated Weapons Systems."

   Point 2 said: "Human responsibility for decisions on the use of weapons
   systems must be retained since accountability cannot be transferred to
   machines."

   Wareham said such language wasn't binding, adding that "it's time to
   start laying down some rules now."

   Members of the LAWS conference will meet again in November.