World's 100 nations agreed to ban current types of cluster bombs and require the destruction of stockpiles within eight years.

Cluster munitions, fired by artillery or dropped from aircraft, scatter dozens or hundreds of "bomblets" across an area as big as two football fields to attack concentrations of troops and vehicles.

Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said all 111 participating nations backed a draft treaty he called "a real contribution to international humanitarian law." He said it "is a very strong and ambitious text which nevertheless was able to win consensus among all delegations."

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown welcomed the treaty, saying it was "in line with British interests and values, and makes the world a safer place."

Brown helped propel negotiators to a speedier deal by confirming earlier Wednesday that Britain would discontinue its use of two cluster munitions: one an Israeli-designed artillery shell, the other a U.S.-made rocket system for use on Apache attack helicopters.

Britain previously had sought an exemption to continue using the helicopter-based weapon in particular.

Cluster bombs have been used with devastating impact on battlefields around the globe. But critics complain the explosives often fail to detonate and later inflict a terrible cost on civilians, from farmers who strike bomblets in their fields to children who mistake them for playthings.

Nations are expected to sign the document in December in the Norwegian capital, Oslo. SOURCE: AP