Berlin - Germany on Thursday called this week's agreement by over 100 nations to ban cluster bombs a "milestone in the development of humanitarian international law" and said it would seek to extend the ban worldwide.

The agreement was reached on Wednesday in Dublin. The final text is set to be signed in December in the Norwegian capital Oslo. The convention would then take effect once 30 nations have ratified it.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman said in Berlin the treaty met German government policy, which had finally borne fruit after years of campaigning for such a ban.

He added, "The draft treaty now has to be signed as soon as possible. At the same time we will press with all our might for the convention to apply worldwide."

The main producers of the weapons - the United States, Israel, China, Russia, India and Pakistan - stayed away from the conference and said they would not support the convention. (dpa)