SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES UNITED STATES DECISION TO JOIN NEGOTIATIONS ON TREATY AGAINST ANTI-PERSONNEL LAND-MINES
Press Release
SG/SM/6304
SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES UNITED STATES DECISION TO JOIN NEGOTIATIONS ON TREATY AGAINST ANTI-PERSONNEL LAND-MINES
19970819 Action Seen as Boost for Global Efforts, with Hope Of Agreement To Be Endorsed by Forthcoming Session of General AssemblyThis statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:
The Secretary-General welcomes the announcement that the United States will participate in the Ottawa process negotiations on a treaty banning anti- personnel land-mines. He is convinced that such a treaty is urgently needed to put an end to the enormous suffering caused every day by this indiscriminate weapon.
The action by the United States comes at a critical moment, as arrangements are being made to open formal negotiations in Oslo on 1 September. The Secretary-General hopes that the Oslo Conference will succeed in concluding a truly comprehensive ban, which will come to the General Assembly for endorsement at its coming session. He looks forward to opening the treaty for signature in Ottawa in December.
The Secretary-General also hopes that there will be progress in the parallel efforts being made in the Conference on Disarmament to achieve universality of a total ban on these horrific weapons.
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