Group: US, Russia block consensus at killer robots' meeting

A key opponent of high-tech, automated weapons known as “killer robots” is blaming countries like the US and Russia for blocking consensus at a UN-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 on Monday after experts from dozens of countries agreed before dawn on Saturday at the UN 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.

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