New recommendation from the Advisory Council on Ethics for the Norwegian Government Petroleum Fund

In a letter dated 31 August this year, the Ministry of Finance asked the Advisory Council on Ethics for the Norwegian Government Petroleum Fund to assess whether the two weapons systems Spider and Intelligent Munition Sysem (IMS) would be considered illegal under the convention on antipersonnel mines. The Ministry of Finance has received a recommendation from the Council. According to the recommendation, these weapons systems are not yet being produced. Moreover, the final technical specifications have not yet been decided. The Council writes: “The Advisory Council presumes that Spider and IMS, so far, have been developed as operator-activated systems. This development thus seems not to have been in violation of the Convention. The key issue is whether it will be decided that these weapons systems are to be modified in such a manner that they will be inconsistent with prohibition against antipersonnel mines.”

The Council also writes that it will recommend an exclusion from the Government petroleum fund if a decision is made to equip the weapons systems Spider or IMS in such a manner that they fall within the definition of an antipersonnel mine.

The Ministry of Finance has published the recommendation from the Advisory Council on Ethics today.

13.10.05