Defence minister Carmé Chacón, who has now returned from maternity leave, announced yesterday that it will cost around four million euros to destroy the Spanish army's total stock of 5,600 cluster bombs.

It is estimated that it will take around two years to complete the task, which has been assigned to the Factorías Extremeñas company in Navalmoral de la Mata (Cáceres) that was responsible for disposing of the army's anti-personnel mine arsenal.

Speaking during a visit to the army's engineering academy in Tierra en Hoyo de Manzanares (Madrid) yesterday (photo), the minister said that "Spain will take the lead" in eradicating cluster bombs after their prohibition was agreed at the Dublin Conference last May.

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By: thinkSPAIN
Thursday, May 22, 2008

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