Around the World: United States

Obama nixes mine treaty

President Barack Obama has no plans to join a global treaty banning landmines because a policy review found the United States could not meet its security commitments without the weapons, the State Department said on Tuesday.

The Mine Ban Treaty, which went into force on March 1, 1999, bans the use, stockpiling, production or transfer of anti-personnel mines. It has been endorsed by 156 countries, but several powers - including the US, Russia, China and India - have not adopted it.