Gordon Brown said today the UK would scrap its stockpile of cluster bombs in an effort to secure an international ban.

Mr Brown said talks in Dublin were “very close to agreement” on prohibiting the use of the weapons, which have been blamed for killing and maiming thousands of civilians in war zones.

In a statement, the Prime Minister said the UK would work to secure global support for a new Convention outlawing their use.

He said: “After 10 days of intense talks in Dublin, we are now very close to agreement on a new international Convention prohibiting the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians.

“In order to secure as strong a Convention as possible in the last hours of negotiation we have issued instructions that we should support a ban on all cluster bombs, including those currently in service by the UK.

“This Convention will be a major breakthrough, and builds on the UK’s leadership on landmines and the Arms Trade Treaty.

“We will now work to encourage the widest possible international support for the new Convention.”

Cluster bomb systems scatter small “bomblets” across a wide area and can prove deadly to civilians - particularly children - who pick up munitions which have failed to detonate on impact.

The Ministry of Defence is reported to have been reluctant to agree to a ban, arguing that cluster munitions were a useful weapon to protect British forces.

John Duncan, the British representative at the Dublin talks, acknowledged that Defence Secretary Des Browne and the Prime Minister had “different perspectives” on the issue.

Mr Duncan, the British ambassador for multilateral arms control, said he was confident an agreement would now be reached.

Remaining obstacles include the UK’s ability to serve in coalition with countries - such as the United States - which oppose a ban.

Another stumbling block could be the stockpile of cluster munitions the US military maintains at bases on British soil.

Mr Duncan said the draft treaty would prevent stockpiling after eight years and added that the UK would work with Washington to find a solution.

Labour peer Lord Dubs, a long-standing campaigner against the use of cluster weapons, said he was “delighted” by the announcement.

He told The World At One: “They have moved their position and I think they have opened the door to getting a proper, robust convention.

“We are an important user of these weapons. If we give them up, other countries will say they don’t need them.”

The Cluster Munition Coalition said today’s decision was “a major act of statesmanship” by Mr Brown. Simon Conway, the CMC co-chairman, said in Dublin: “This is the breakthrough we were looking for. It will encourage other participating nations to make compromises and will thus improve the overall strength and credibility of the treaty.

“As somebody who has spent several years clearing battlefields of landmines, this is a great day. I believe this is a personal intervention by Mr Brown on humanitarian grounds. It is a major act of statesmanship.”

Delegates from 109 countries have spent the last fortnight in Dublin hearing first-hand accounts of cluster bomb attacks from survivors from Afghanistan, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Lebanon, Serbia and Vietnam.

The Diplomatic Conference hopes to agree an international treaty to ban cluster bombs on Friday. The historic agreement is expected to be signed in Oslo in December.

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Why Witherspoon is highlighting domestic violence
• No, MP does not stand for Mostly Plastered
• Don’t bottle out of your champagne moment