Helsinki - Finland said Friday the Nordic country was not to sign a pending international ban against cluster weapons.

In early December, an international treaty aimed at banning the weapons was due to be signed in Oslo, Norway.

The decision not to sign the convention was made by the cabinet committee on foreign and security policy and President Tarja Halonen.

Helsinki said it would discuss the treaty again "after an evaluation of defence capabilities has been carried out."

Last month, Admiral Juhani Kaskeala, commander of the Finnish defence forces, said in a keynote speech that "a ban against cluster weapons would seriously weaken Finland's ability to defend itself."

Several organizations including the Finnish Peace Association, the Finnish Red Cross, Finn Church Aid, and the United Nations Association of Finland have urged the government to sign the treaty.

Cluster weapons - criticized for carrying a high risk of maiming or killing civilians - can be launched from the air or via artillery shells and can disperse hundreds of bomblets over a target area.

Unexploded bomblets pose a risk years after a conflict has ended, and have been compared to landmines.

Main producers of the weapons - the United States, Israel, China, Russia, India and Pakistan - have said they would not support the convention. (dpa)