Religious groups say a proposed new international law on cluster bombs could put more civilians at risk than an existing treaty would.

More than half the world’s governments have agreed to ban the production, use, stockpiling and export of all existing cluster munitions. Meeting in Dublin, Ireland, representatives of 110 nations completed negotiations yesterday.

The government is preparing to scrap Britain's entire arsenal of cluster bombs that have killed and maimed hundreds of innocent civilians, reports the Guardian newspaper. Officials are paving the way for the radical step at talks in Dublin.

Representatives of more than 100 governments gathered in Dublin, Ireland yesterday to begin writing the final text of a global treaty banning cluster bombs that cause unacceptable harm to civilians.