UNITED NATIONS — The leaders of many island nations spoke of the dangers of climate change. Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore was also on scene, talking to reporters as part of New York Climate Week.
“Machines are gaining more freedom to find and strike targets. But a machine cannot understand surrender nor mercy. It cannot face a court or answer for a death.
Beate Meinl-Reisinger, Austria’s federal minister for European and International Affairs, referenced the “Terminator” movies, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, when speaking out against autonomous weapons. The “killer robot” played by Schwarzenegger was science fiction, but autonomous weapons are now real, she said. It must never have the final say over who lives and who dies,” she said.
For his part, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Beirut, whose government has been pushing to disarm Hezbollah must “reclaim our decision,” with no weapons or decisions to go to war outside state institutions. “We are the only ones who will negotiate,” he said, referring to Iran, which sought to include the war in Lebanon in its own negotiations with Washington, a position backed by Hezbollah, while Beirut pursued separate talks with Israel. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said Baghdad’s priority was to keep weapons in the hands of constitutional institutions and pledged to strengthen the rule of law.
“It is time for women to lead this organization A leader who will defend the charter without exception, who can turn reform into delivery, and who will listen to all member states, including smallest,” said Hussain Muhammad Latif, vice president, Republic of Maldives.
