DESPITE ‘REAL VICTORIES’ IN LANDMINE ACTION, ASSEMBLY ACKNOWLEDGES MAGNITUDE OF REMAINING CHALLENGES

Press Release
GA/9833

DESPITE ‘REAL VICTORIES’ IN LANDMINE ACTION, ASSEMBLY ACKNOWLEDGES MAGNITUDE OF REMAINING CHALLENGES

Delegations Raise Questions of Responsibility of Minelayers

"We owe the next generation of world citizens nothing less than the right to walk the earth without fear," the representative of the United States told the General Assembly this morning as it addressed the issue of assistance in mine action.

He said the 70 million landmines now planted in one-third of the world's nations posed a tragic threat not only to individuals, but also to political, economic and social stability. They were a barrier to peace, democracy and national reconciliation, preventing refugees and displaced persons from returning to their homes and hindering transition from relief to recovery and development. Success in the fight against landmines was not measured in numbers of programmes or of mines lifted from the soil, but in its impact on the lives of people in mine-affected countries. There were real victories in that regard, such as in Cambodia, Afghanistan and Mozambique. They represented the best humanitarian instincts to address the tragedy of landmines, "one person and one mine at a time".

His Government was currently seeking alternatives to landmines, and would adhere to the Ottowa Convention on landmines by 2006 if those alternatives were found and deployed. Aware of the fact that many would like the United States to take a different course on the Ottowa Convention, he said, "this disagreement must not deter us from our common vision of eliminating the threat of landmines around the world by the close of this decade. Working together, we can meet this challenge."

Referring to the Landmine Monitor report of the International Convention to Ban Landmines, Canada's representative noted that the number of producers of anti-personnel mines had dropped sharply from 54 to 16, and that of the 34 nations known to have exported anti-personnel mines in the past, all but one had made a formal statement to the effect that they had ceased to export. More than 22 million stockpiled landmines had been destroyed by more than 50 nations. More land was being freed from their deadly bondage and returned for productive use to communities that needed it most. Casualty rates were also declining, which was largely attributable to the delivery of risk-reducing awareness programmes.

General Assembly Plenary - 1a - Press Release GA/9833 73rd Meeting (AM) 28 November 2000

While heartened by that progress, he felt that the promise of the Ottawa Convention meant continuing the struggle against the production, use, stockpiling and transfer of those insidious weapons. His Government called upon States that remained outside the framework of the Ottawa Convention to join the majority of the world’s States that had chosen to eradicate such weapons -- in years, not decades.

Libya's representative said that despite slight progress made in the last few years in dealing with landmines, the "invisible enemy", international efforts were still stumbling. Prominent necessities were the clearing of mines, provision of modern technical training, and exchange of information. It was regrettable that the report of the Secretary-General did not refer to countries that had planted mines in the territories of other countries, and failed to ask those countries to provide compensation. Furthermore, the report did not distinguish between the use of mines for legitimate defence and the irresponsible use of mines by combatant States which already possessed a wide range of weapons.

A significant number of mines had been placed in Libyan territory during the Second World War, he said. Those countries responsible should acknowledge their part in the killing and maiming of Libyans and should also provide maps of landmine fields. Compensation should also be provided for adverse developmental and humanitarian effects.

The representative of Cambodia said that with an estimated 4 to 6 million mines and unexploded ordnance buried in the soil of Cambodia, one out of 380 Cambodians had lost his life or a limb to a landmine strike. His country was one of the most mine-affected countries in the world. Since 1993, the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) had made significant progress towards mine- marking, mine-awareness campaigns, mine clearance, capacity-building and training activities. The casualty figure had been reduced significantly, from a monthly average of 600 casualties in 1992 to 56 in 2000. Unfortunately, the insufficiency of funding support had compelled CMAC to lay off almost one-fourth of its operational staff.

The representatives of France (on behalf of the European Union and associated States), Norway, Japan, Australia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Philippines, Egypt, Russian Federation, Peru, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, Slovenia, Nicaragua, Argentina, Croatia, China and Israel also spoke, as did the Observer for Switzerland.

The Assembly will meet again tomorrow, Wednesday, 29 November, at 10 a.m. to consider the zone of peace and cooperation in the South Atlantic and appointment of members of the Consultative Committee on the United Nations Development Fund for Women, as well as to take action on several draft resolutions.

General Assembly Plenary - 3 - Press Release GA/9833 73rd Meeting (AM) 28 November 2000

Assembly Work Programme

The fifty-fifth regular session of the General Assembly met this morning to consider assistance in mine action.

The Assembly had before it a report of the Secretary-General on assistance in mine action (document A/55/542), which provides information on the work of the various organizations involved in mine action. Details of the most familiar country programmes, such as those in Afghanistan, Cambodia and Mozambique, are included, as are those of more recent activities being undertaken in southern Lebanon, Guinea-Bissau and Ethiopia and Eritrea.

The report describes the activities of the United Nations system, specifically those of the United Nations Mine Action Service, Department of Disarmament Affairs, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Office for Project Services.

The report also highlights activities of intergovernmental and non- governmental organizations (NGOs) such as CARE International, Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining, Handicap International, International Campaign to Ban Landmines, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Landmine Survivors Network, the Mines Advisory Group, the Norwegian People's Aid, the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation/Survey Action Centre and the World Rehabilitation Fund. The work of the Organization of American States' Assistance Programme for Demining in Central America (PADCA) is also addressed.

Local programmes being described are those in Afghanistan, Angola, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Chad, Croatia, Eritrea and Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Iraq, Kosovo, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Mozambique, Somalia, Southern Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Thailand and Yemen.

According to the report, the scope and methodology of mine-action activities have expanded rapidly over the past decade. A new approach has emerged, which is no longer exclusively centred on mine clearance but also emphasizes the impact of the mine problem. The evolution has required the development, initiation, coordination and support of activities that now include mine awareness training, victim assistance, rehabilitation, reintegration efforts and advocacy. The United Nations has also recognized the need to provide assistance in destroying stockpiles of mines.

In addressing all aspects of mine action in diverse environments, ranging from emergency relief through national capacity-building for long-term development, United Nations activities must be well-defined and targeted, the report notes. Several different techniques are applied to define better the mine and unexploded ordnance problem. Accurate and timely information is collected through the conduct of inter-agency assessment missions. A more detailed technique is the level 1 impact survey, which is a more detailed information-gathering exercise aimed at defining the exact impact of landmines and unexploded ordnance on affected populations.

The report states that the global landmine problem continues to pose daunting challenges to the international community and the United Nations system as a result of a sharp increase in the number of countries and areas requiring assistance in mine action, and the consequent need to spread a finite amount of resources. A priority for the United Nations is to identify new resources for mine-action. Some funding has already been secured from the United Nations Foundation. Those resources have been successfully employed to initiate and develop the global level 1 survey project that has recently completed a survey in Yemen.

The report concludes that mine action should cease to be treated as a temporary requirement, and that the Mine Action Service should be firmly established as a core function of the United Nations, with resources provided through assessed contributions.

The Assembly also had a draft resolution, sponsored by France, on assistance in mine action (document A/55/L.44), by which the Assembly would call for continuation of the efforts of the United Nations to foster the establishment of mine-action capacities in countries where mines constitute a serious threat to the safety, health and lives of the local population, or an impediment to social and economic development efforts. The Assembly would emphasize the importance of developing national mine-action capacities, and urge all Member States to assist mine-affected countries in the establishment and development of national capacities in mine clearance, mine awareness and victim assistance.

By the terms of the draft, the Assembly would call upon Member States, especially those that have the capacity to do so, to provide the necessary information and technical, financial and material assistance to locate, remove, destroy or otherwise render ineffective minefields, mines, booby traps and other devices in accordance with international law, as soon as possible.

The Assembly would urge Member States and regional, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and foundations to continue to extend full assistance and cooperation to the Secretary-General and to provide him with information and data, as well as other appropriate resources that could be useful in strengthening the coordination role of the United Nations in mine action, in particular in the fields of mine awareness, training, surveying, detection and clearance, scientific research on mine-detection and mine- clearance technology, and information on and distribution of medical equipment and supplies.

The Assembly would also urge Member States and regional, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and foundations to provide technological assistance to mine-infested countries and to promote scientific research and development on humanitarian mine-action techniques and technology so that mine- action activities may be carried out more effectively at lower costs and through safer means. Further to the draft, the Assembly would appeal to governments, regional organizations and other donors to continue their support to mine action through further contributions, including contributions through the Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Action, to allow for timely delivery of mine-action assistance in emergency situations.

The Assembly would stress the importance of international support for emergency assistance to victims of mines and for the care and rehabilitation of the victims, and would also stress that such assistance should be integrated into broader public health and socio-economic strategies.

According to the draft, the Assembly would encourage governments, relevant United Nations bodies and other donors to take further action to promote gender- and age-appropriate mine-awareness programmes, victim assistance and child- centred rehabilitation, thereby reducing the number of child victims. It would emphasize the important role of the United Nations in effective coordination of mine-action activities, and would emphasize the role of the Mine Action Service as the focal point for mine action within the United Nations system.

The Assembly would also encourage the Secretary-General to further develop a comprehensive mine-action strategy, taking into consideration the impact of the landmine problem on rehabilitation, reconstruction and development. It would emphasize in this respect the importance of developing a comprehensive information management system for mine action, under the overall coordination of the Mine Action Service and with the support of the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining, in order to facilitate the setting of priorities and coordination of field activities.

The Assembly would encourage Member States and regional, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and foundations to continue to support ongoing activities to promote appropriate technology, as well as international operational and safety standards for humanitarian mine-action activities.

The Assembly would invite Member States to develop national programmes, in cooperation with the relevant bodies of the United Nations system where appropriate, to promote awareness of landmines, especially among women and children.

Assistance in Mine Action: Introduction of Draft

SAMUEL LE CARUYER DE BEAUVAIS (France), introducing the draft resolution on behalf of the European Union and associated States, said that the tragedy of anti-personnel mines, which particularly affected the civilian population of countries already suffering as a result of past or current armed conflict, continued unabated despite the efforts of the international community. But a large number of countries were however devoting substantial resources to mine action, such as mine clearance programmes and landmine victim assistance operations. The amount spent on that effort in 1999 was estimated at $219 million. That was clearly not sufficient, however, to eliminate the unfortunately often irreversible effects of the use of a cowardly and cruel weapon. The focus today must be the responsibility of those who were still using such mines, which killed and mutilated every day. The international community must unremittingly urge them to stop using those arms and encourage them to become involved in mine action. The European Union was anxious that the combat be waged in every area where it was possible to achieve results. As a priority, he said, the European Union was pushing for a comprehensive and speedy implementation of the Ottawa Convention in which an international standard had unquestionably been set.

Efforts could not be confined to policy statements. In the more concrete field of demining and victim assistance programmes, which since 1997 had been part of a Common Action adopted by the European Union, the European Commission and States members spent more than 103 million euros on operational programmes last year, making the Union the largest contributor to those activities. The report of the Secretary-General showed the scope of the task remaining to be accomplished. The European Union had pledged to rapidly win the fight, and it was in that spirit that the European Union was presenting a resolution this year devoted to mine action.

Statements

OLE PETER KOLBY (Norway) said that landmines endangered the safety and well-being of individuals, denied people their basic human rights, and ruined the prospects for economic and social development. Humanitarian mine action must be people-centred: it was a question of reconciliation, rehabilitation, reconstruction, and human development. The Anti-personnel Landmines Convention had been invaluable in creating momentum, and according to monitoring reports, there had been significant improvement in past years. But landmines continued to maim and kill innocent people, and posed a problem of crisis proportions in too many countries. The international community must continue efforts to universalize the mine-ban convention.

Norway welcomed the Secretary-General’s report on Assistance in Mine Action, and shared the view that it should form part of the Organization’s broad response. Mine action could not be perceived as a pure technical operation. Most organizations were in some way or another affected by the mine action problem on a daily basis. The need to deal with mines was also being realized in relation to peacekeeping operations. Norway attached importance to the revision of international standards for humanitarian mine clearance, and the development of international test procedures and guidelines for the use of mine detection dogs and mechanical clearance equipment. That would make mine action programmes more effective and reduce accident rates and incidents of incomplete clearance.

Finally, he wished to highlight a few points, which Norway regarded as particularly relevant to the implementation of mine action programmes for next year. The international community must continue to focus on improving the dissemination of relevant information, and make better use of coordination mechanisms at country and local levels, preferably headed by national and local authorities. The international community must continue to focus on progress in the field. The only sound goal was to further improve the figures on cleared land and declining numbers of new landmine victims. Lastly, existing structures within the health and social sectors should be reinforced, and services and programmes aimed at mine victims should include all persons with disabilities, regardless of their cause.

DANIEL LIVERMORE (Canada) expressed his appreciation for the Secretary- General’s comprehensive report on mine action, which accurately highlighted the global landmine problem. His Government was gratified by the activities of the United Nations Mine Action Service in its important coordination role and in assessing the threat of landmines in numerous countries. He thanked the Department for Disarmament Affairs for its work in supporting the Ottawa Convention’s meetings of States parties, and in ensuring the effective transparency of reports submitted under article 7 of the Convention. Furthermore, Canada recognized the work of the UNDP in developing long-term capacity to manage and coordinate mine action programmes. His country felt that the Ottawa Convention provided a general framework for the world community to resolve the problem of landmines.

Statistics proved that the number of producers of anti-personnel mines had dropped sharply from 54 to 16, as discussed in the International Convention to Ban Landmines’ Landmine Monitor Report; in addition, of 34 nations known to have exported anti-personnel mines in the past, all but one had made a formal statement to the effect that they had ceased to export; and lastly, more than 22 million stockpiled landmines had been destroyed by more than 50 nations. Another positive development was that, in most mine-affected States, more land was being freed from its deadly bondage and was being returned to productive use in communities that needed it most, he said. Casualty rates were also declining, which was largely attributable to the delivery of risk-reducing awareness programmes.

Increased efforts were being undertaken to ensure the sustainability of mine action efforts, notably the Canadian Landmine Foundation, which was established to promote ongoing private sector involvement in addressing the global landmine problem. While heartened by that progress, Canada felt that the promise of the Ottawa Convention meant continuing the struggle against the production, use, stockpiling and transfer of those insidious weapons. His Government called upon those States that remained outside the framework of the Ottawa Convention to join the majority of the world’s States that had chosen to eradicate such weapons -— in years, not decades. The international community must set practical deadlines and articulate a realistic work programme to meet those deadlines. In closing, Canada hoped that, with the Ottawa Convention's third annual meeting scheduled for Managua, Nicaragua, in September 2001, at least 120 Member States had ratified the Convention.

HIDEAKI KOBAYASHI (Japan) said that despite a growing list of accomplishments, the international community had to face the fact that landmines continued to harm human beings in post-conflict countries, and that they were actually still being laid in some countries where conflicts continued to take place. Not only did landmines cause human suffering and sometimes deprive people of their life in the most random and brutal manner, the existence of landmines on the ground was a serious obstacle for people striving to rebuild their lives in post-conflict countries. The problems they caused were a threat to human life, survival and dignity.

Japan thought it was important to help enhance the capacity-building of mine-affected countries in order to enable them to play the primary role in mine action. For that reason, Japan had supported the establishment of mine action centres (MACs) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cambodia, Thailand, Mozambique and Chad. Japan believed that a MAC could be a useful mechanism for encouraging initiatives of those mine-affected countries. His country also thought that coordinating the activities of various bodies and setting standards for their activities were important, since a number of international organizations and NGOs had undertaken activities in mine action in the last few years. From that point of view, Japan expected the United Nations Mine Action Service to serve as a focal point for the coordination of mine action. Moreover, in order to promote partnership and the sharing of knowledge among NGOs, the development of an information management system should be encouraged.

Since mine action in post-conflict countries usually started with mine clearance, extensive experience and resources had been accumulated in that area. But it was time to emphasize the importance of victim assistance, in order to enhance the well-being of people in mine-affected countries. Victim assistance should be broad in scope, not limited to medical assistance and the provision of artificial limbs, but also linked to the creation of job opportunities that would enable victims to reintegrate themselves back into their societies.

COLIN HOLLIS (Australia) said that, in keeping with obligations under article 6 of the Ottawa Convention, the Australian Government had become a significant contributor to international mine clearance, mine awareness and victim assistance programmes, particularly in the Asia Pacific region. During the past year, the Australian Government sponsored the “Destroy A Minefield” initiative, seeking sponsors in the Australian community to clear specifically named minefields in Cambodia. Every two dollars raised was matched by one dollar from the Government. That initiative was not solely a fund-raising campaign; it also served to raise awareness of the problem of the devastating impact of landmines in affected countries. He said Australia had been involved in mine clearance activities since 1989, and had committed a total of at least 100 million Australian dollars to those activities for the decade to 2005. The bulk of that funding to date had been directed to Cambodia, Laos, Mozambique and Angola.

Australian army personnel had visited Peru last June, in response to a request from the Government of Peru, to assess ways of dealing with that country’s landmines stockpile. He said he understood the Peruvian army would shortly destroy its stockpile, employing the techniques developed by the Australian army. As a result of its leading role on that issue, Australia had been selected as a co-rapporteur of the Ottawa Convention’s Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction.

He referred to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, noting that while it did not prohibit the use, production or transfer of landmines, it did place restrictions on State parties. It was particularly important since it brought on board a number of key producers and users of landmines that had not yet joined the Ottawa Convention. The conventional weapons convention also dealt with a range of other weapons, such as anti-vehicle mines, blinding laser weapons and incendiary devices, which were not covered by the Ottawa Convention. Australia believed that the conventional weapons convention had an important role to play, and had announced its candidacy for the presidency of the convention’s Review Conference to be held at the end of next year.

ALOUNKEO KITTIKHOUN (Lao People’s Democratic Republic) said that every day innocent people were being either injured or killed by landmines and other unexploded ordnance, still scattered on the surface or buried in the soil in over 60 countries around the world. As a result of the heaviest aerial bombardment during the Indochina war, his country was still seriously affected today by unexploded ordnance. In fact, unexploded ordnance contamination affected up to 50 per cent of the country’s land mass. In order to address the problem, his Government had drawn up a comprehensive programme aimed at of reducing the number of civilian casualties and increasing the amount of land available for food production and other development activities. The programme was divided into four important components: community awareness; training and capacity-building; survey; and clearance.

Much success had been achieved through its implementation. Hundreds of thousands of people had been briefed on the dangers of landmines, and, as a result, the number of accidents had been reduced. In addition, more than 4,200 acres of land mass had been cleared and some 280,000 items of unexploded ordnance had been destroyed. The programme had also trained some 1,200 Laotians to work in the field. Once trained, those national workers were able, for the most part, to perform their activities without the assistance of foreign experts.

DONALD K. STEINBERG (United States) said the 70 million landmines now planted in one third of the world’s nations posed a tragic threat not only to individuals, but also to political, economic and social stability. They were a barrier to peace, democracy and national reconciliation, preventing refugees and displaced persons from returning to their homes and hindering transition from relief to recovery and development. His country was working with more than three dozen nations to demine the most dangerous minefields, train humanitarian deminers, and teach children and parents to identify and avoid those weapons, using the best scientific talents to identify new techniques for mine detection and clearance.

Success in the fight against landmines was not measured in numbers of programmes or of mines lifted from the soil, but in its impact on the lives of people in mine-affected countries. There were real victories in that regard, such as in Cambodia, Afghanistan and Mozambique. It was gratifying to see how quickly people resumed their lives and regained their dignity after being informed that their fields, villages and schools were mine-safe. An exciting development had been public-private partnerships necessary to address the global challenge. DC Comics had created more than 1 million mine-awareness comic books for the children of Bosnia, Central America and Kosovo. Wheelchairs of the World was helping increase mobility of disabled people in dozens of countries. Those and other actions represented the best humanitarian instincts to address the tragedy of landmines, “one person and one mine at a time”.

His Government had permanently banned the export or transfer of anti- personnel landmines in 1997, and was seeking to universalize that ban in the Conference on Disarmament. In 1999, it had adhered to the second amended mines protocol to the Convention on Conventional Weapons. It was currently seeking alternatives to landmines, and would adhere to the Ottawa Convention by 2006 if those alternatives were found and deployed. He was aware of the fact that many would like the United States to take a different course on the Ottawa Convention. “Still,” he said, “this disagreement must not deter us from our common vision of eliminating the threat of landmines around the world by the close of this decade. Working together, we can meet this challenge. We owe the next generation of world citizens nothing less than the right to walk the earth without fear.”

CARLOS D. SORRETA (Philippines) said that mine action was an important humanitarian concern that would have warranted the creation of a whole new bureaucracy. But rather than going in that direction, the United Nations had instead concentrated on creating a coordinative structure through which it was able to maximize the strengths of 14 United Nations agencies, as well as members of civil society, in ensuring the viability and success of mine action efforts. Consensus had been achieved on the need to approach mine action activities on a broader and more comprehensive basis –- in other words, not to focus exclusively on mine clearance but to recognize that the total impact of the mine problem must be explored, including socio-economic issues and the importance of long- term solutions.

That evolution had required the development, initiation, coordination and support of activities in which the United Nations had not had the full benefit of experience. He was glad that the approach continued to expand, and that it now included recognition of the need to provide assistance in destroying stockpiles of mines as an additional element of mine action. He agreed with the Secretary-General’s observation that the global landmine problem continued to pose daunting challenges to the international community and the United Nations system. The landmine ban was one solution that the Philippines fully supported, he said. He believed that mine action needed to be dealt with in a comprehensive manner: it was necessary to go to the source of those weapons and prevent them from ever being deployed.

While a landmine ban was an important part of the overall solution, some parties to armed conflicts were still somehow able to circumvent all sorts of bans and embargoes. It was, therefore, also important that efforts should continue within the United Nations and elsewhere, to prevent and reduce conflicts by addressing their fundamental causes and by providing opportunities for those conflicts to be resolved in a just, peaceful and meaningful manner.

AHMED ABOULGHEIT (Egypt) said his country attached particular importance to this issue, because it had suffered from the problem for more than 50 years. While his country agreed with the main thrust of paragraph 118 of the Secretary- General’s Report concerning -- among others -- the social and economic consequences of landmines, Egypt believed, at the same time, that the solution would only be partial. He said it did not deal with the problem in a comprehensive manner; the efforts of the international community should cover all dimensions of problems pertaining to mines in an equal manner, in order to be able to provide a comprehensive solution, rather than a temporary one.

He said the report of the Secretary-General did not mention the responsibility of countries which had planted mines in the territories of other countries, and there was no call for those countries to extend assistance for mine clearance. Landmines in Egypt were a serious problem; there were about 23 million mines and unexploded ammunition on Egyptian territory, most of which dated back to the El Alamein battle. They were an obstacle to development in the affected regions, and also posed a threat to the populations. The Egyptian authorities were trying to implement a plan in order to clear those landmines. Implementation of such a plan had imposed a heavy financial and technical burden that should not be borne by the Egyptian Government alone. There was an urgent need for the countries who had planted those mines to provide maps indicating the location of those mines, and to provide assistance in mine clearance. The presence of so many mines had impeded developmental efforts and the harnessing of natural resources.

ANDREI G. GRANOVSKY (Russian Federation) said the continuing danger of mines was a serious obstacle to socio-economic development and had severe humanitarian consequences for entire populations. The Russian Federation supported the efforts undertaken under the auspices of the United Nations to mobilize the international community; demining as an integral part of post- conflict peace building.

He said The Russian Federation sympathized with the victims of anti- personnel mines; unfortunately, it had had first-hand experience of the suffering. Every year the Russian Federation had to make safe more than 100,000 explosives, many of which were inherited from the Second World War. The war in Chechnya had exacerbated the process because of the nature of more modern types of explosives, which were directed at people as well as at military targets. In this connection, the Russian Federation was in favour of the broadest possible accession of States to the new version of the Second Mine Protocol to the convention on inhumane weapons.

Russian specialists had taken part in many demining missions, he said, lending their expertise and making available digital maps of mine infested areas. His Government had taken steps to ensure Russian participation in humanitarian demining. He reaffirmed the willingness of the Russian Federation to cooperate with the United Nations and all other interested States in the battle against anti-personnel mines.

MANUEL PICASSO (Peru) said the use of anti-personnel landmines was an insult to the principles of human rights, and there was no possible justification or interpretation for it. Those mines had been present as a destructive weapon in almost all wars, and had caused thousands of victims in recent years. His country had not escaped from the scourge; it had translated its commitment to the international agreements to which it was a party, into a number of specific measures, such as successfully executing two demining projects on its border with Ecuador, the destruction of 30,000 anti-personnel landmines removed from minefields, instruction of personnel for the future destruction of arsenals and development of prevention campaigns in native languages along the affected areas of the northern border.

Those important achievements were made possible by the support of friendly States committed to the ethical and humanitarian principles of the cause: Canada, United States, Japan, Australia and Spain. He said financial and technical assistance to affected countries was an aspect that could not be detached from the objectives of the elimination of anti-personnel landmines, and he emphasized that the “Specific Fund for Support for Demining –- Peru Account” was open within the framework of the Organization of American States (OAS).

He said the campaign to eliminate anti-personnel mines was an example of international commitment to pioneer the long road towards a new form of world coexistence, based on the acknowledgment of higher common interests. That new milestone was both an inspiration and a permanent challenge that allowed the translation of the will of States into a universal regulatory base of mandatory respect.

HAROON SHAUKAT (Pakistan) said the consequences of the indiscriminate use of landmines continued to haunt the civilian population in various parts of the world. In over 60 developing countries, including Afghanistan, Cambodia, Angola, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Somalia, the irresponsible use of landmines as a result of foreign occupation or internal conflicts had caused social and economic ruin. Today, in Afghanistan alone, there were almost 10 million landmines scattered all over the country. While Pakistan continued to host more than 2 million Afghan refugees, an important factor impeding their return was the landmine problem affecting their country.

Regarding the report of the Secretary-General, he said it would have been more productive and useful if it had also shed some light on the total extent of the problem. For example, an estimated aggregate number of landmines strewn in each landmine-affected country would have been useful. Similarly, the report did not clearly specify whether the resources deployed in each country programme were adequate or whether more needed to be done. The report should have given a clearer idea of the true nature of the problem, and of whether current international efforts were sufficient to deal with it. He conveyed his delegation’s reservation to the assertion made in paragraph 118 of the report, according to which a new approach on mine action had emerged “which is no longer exclusively centred on mine clearance”. Pakistan believed that mine clearance remained at the heart of all mine action activities. Mine awareness, advocacy campaigns and victim assistance were, no doubt, important activities but they could not replace the centrality of mine clearance in dealing with the problems of mine-affected countries.

While the international community was well sensitized to the issue of the indiscriminate use of landmines, the available resources were not commensurate with the magnitude of the problem, he said. Pakistan for its part had actively contributed to demining operations in several affected countries, such as Kuwait, Cambodia, Angola, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Western Sahara. He added that discussion on mine action should not be mixed with demands for controlling the use of landmines, which lay in the sphere of disarmament. In that context, Pakistan favoured the initiation at the Conference on Disarmament of an international legal instrument banning the transfer or export of landmines.

ISA AYAD BABAA (Libya) said the international community had repeatedly shown its preoccupation with the invisible enemy, landmines. Despite the slight progress made in the last few years, international efforts were still stumbling. Prominent necessities were the clearing of mines, provision of modern technical training and exchange of information. It was regrettable that the report of the Secretary-General did not refer to countries that had planted mines in the territories of other countries, and failed to ask those countries to provide compensation. In that regard, the Ottawa Convention had no provision determining the legal responsibility of countries that planted such mines. Furthermore, the report did not distinguish between the use of mines for legitimate defence and the irresponsible use of mines by combatant States, which already possessed a wide range of weapons.

A significant number of mines had been placed in Libyan territory during the Second World War, leading to a brutal tragedy for all Libyans. His country asked that the countries responsible should acknowledge their part in the killing and maiming of Libyans, and should also provide maps of landmine fields within his country’s territory. Compensation should also be provided for adverse developmental and humanitarian effects. Responsibility for the detrimental effects of landmines was quite clear and manifest. Those mines were not due to internal or civil wars. An agreement, he continued, had been made between Libya and Italy, whereby the two countries would cooperate to clear mines in Libyan territory and establish a joint fund in order to undertake rebuilding of the areas affected by mines. He expressed satisfaction that the Italian Government had started to implement the agreement, and called on the other two countries responsible for the planting of mines in his country to take responsibility in their turn.

The African continent had been affected by a large number of deadly mines, which impeded the movement of people, goods and services, thus slowing down the development process. The international community had to give priority to assisting States in the African continent, particularly since Africa was facing serious problems in other areas. The Arab countries were also suffering from that chronic problem, and had held a symposium to deal with mines and their dangers. International cooperation was extremely important in resolving those problems.

SUN JOUN-YUNG (Republic of Korea) pointed out that a de facto near- moratorium on the transfer of anti-personnel mines was coming into being, resulting in a decline in the number of mine casualties. But, despite that progress, much remained to be done in resolving mine problems. Anti-personnel mines took a toll not only on people but also on socio-economic development. Those mines claimed the lives of a high number of civilian victims, including women and children, and also constituted an obstacle to the return of refugees and other displaced persons, to humanitarian aid operations, and to reconstruction and economic development. The international community must address the mine issue in a more comprehensive manner by simultaneously encompassing mine clearance, mine awareness and victim assistance.

His Government was pleased that the United Nations system, as well as intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), had been more involved in mine action activities. The Republic of Korea called for gathering accurate and timely information and assessing the impact of mines on affected countries. He was encouraged to see that the Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA), developed by the United Nations Mine Action Service and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), had been improved and deployed to an increasing number of countries. His country took note that the UNDP had initiated studies on the socio-economic impact of mines on people and society, and the effectiveness of corresponding efforts to reintegrate mine victims into those studies.

Over the past two years, the international community had witnessed the entry into force of the Treaty of March 1999 which aimed at a total ban on anti- personnel mines, and of the Amended Protocol II to the Convention on Conventional Weapons in December 1998, which restricted the use of anti- personnel mines. The Republic of Korea shared the humanitarian concerns of the international community over the human suffering and tragic casualties caused by anti-personnel mines. He supported the view of the Secretary-General that the United Nations should secure sound funding to meet the growing requests from mine-affected countries. His Government had decided to redouble its support to the Trust Fund by making an extra contribution, and planned to expand its bilateral financial assistance to other countries.

SUN SUON (Cambodia) said with an estimated 4 to 6 million mines and much unexploded ordnance currently buried in the soil of Cambodia, it was a matter of record that one out of 380 Cambodians had lost his life or a limb to a landmine strike. It was truly a tragedy that his country remained one of the most mine- affected countries in the world.

Since 1993, the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC), in close partnership with the relevant United Nations agencies and NGOs had forged ahead in its prioritized plans for a broad-based programme of work. It had made significant progress in mine-marking, mine-awareness campaigns, mine clearance, capacity- building and training activities. The casualty figures had been reduced significantly from a monthly average of 600 in 1992 to a figure of 56 in September 2000. Since Cambodia had reinforced its legislation on the ban of the utilization, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel landmines, some progressive steps had already been undertaken to neutralize the anti- personnel mines buried in the soil. Unfortunately, insufficiency of funding support had compelled CMAC to lay off almost one-fourth of its operational staff.

In spite of those difficulties, the deminers were continuing their efforts to reduce the risk posed to Cambodians by the mines and unexploded ordnance littered across their land. He pointed out that mine action was as much a development issue as a humanitarian one. ERNEST PETRIC (Slovenia) said that international action on mines was one of the most important, practical and effective humanitarian projects of our time. It was an indispensable component of the evolving concept of human security. The concept of mine action was a comprehensive one and included important segments of demining and destruction of landmines, rehabilitation of mine victims and creation of mine awareness. All these aspects of mine action made it one of the most important priorities of the United Nations.

Slovenia, he continued, was deeply committed to the objectives of international mine action, and to the destruction of its stockpiled anti- personnel landmines by the year 2003. At the same time it had developed activities to support the efforts for the post-conflict rehabilitation of the region of southeast Europe. Three years ago, the International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance had been established with the aim of offering assistance to the countries of southeast Europe in their mine action. The fund had since been very successful in its endeavours, and had established genuine partnerships with the competent authorities in the countries of the region, as well as with other international structures involved in the projects of mine action.

MARIO RODRIGUEZ CASTILLO (Nicaragua) was pleased by the report of the Secretary-General, which highlighted the valuable work done by the United Nations system and emphasized the fight to eradicate anti-personnel mines, which continued to maim defenceless civilian populations. His country expressed its appreciation at being designated the site for the Third Meeting of States Parties to the Ottawa Convention, scheduled to take place in Managua in September 2001, and looked forward to the valued participation of all States parties to the Convention. Similarly, Nicaragua hoped that all Member States would become States Parties to the Ottawa Convention in order to put a definitive end to the scourge of landmines.

His Government had developed a National Humanitarian Demining Plan, which was being successfully implemented despite natural disasters that had disrupted progress on mine clearance. By 2004, Nicaragua hoped for the total destruction of landmines. In that regard, he thanked the international community for its invaluable support in demining and mining clearance programmes in Central America, and reiterated his appeal for continuing support of the special programmes for the care of victims and for their complete social and economic reintegration. Furthermore, his country believed that the task of removing landmines could no longer wait. Likewise, the destruction of landmine stockpiles must proceed in conformity with the Convention.

Nicaragua had taken the lead in educational programmes to alert the public about the dangers of anti-personnel landmines. It would be paradoxical in this age of great technological revolution if so many innocent civilians and defenceless children continued to die. It was time to direct technological development towards the welfare of human beings in order to build a better world, marked by the culture of peace. Further, it would be unacceptable to respect international human rights laws if, at the same time, the world community tolerated landmines, which were an obstacle to the development of the affected populations. In conclusion, he hailed the irreversible advance of humanitarian efforts to eliminate all anti-personnel landmines, and called for complete implementation of the Ottawa Convention.

LUIS ENRIQUE CAPPAGLI (Argentina) said the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on their destruction was a valuable instrument for international security, non- proliferation and disarmament. His Government attached great importance to the objective of prohibiting anti-personnel landmines, which was consistent with Argentina's policy on disarmament and the limitation of armaments. He urged countries that had not signed the Convention to consider facilitating the international community’s efforts to lessen the consequences of the use of those arms.

His country’s objectives were reflected in its commitment to change its region into a zone free of the scourge of landmines. With the Mercosur Declaration, signed on 30 June 1998, Bolivia and Chile were now considered part of a peace zone, evidence that there was growing agreement on an area free of anti-personnel mines, and Argentina hoped to extend it to the entire Western hemisphere. On 14 September 1999, Argentina had ratified the Ottawa Convention and submitted a report on transparency to implement its obligations. Demining must be regarded as a humanitarian task of extraordinary importance. Countries still suffering from the existence of landmines had to confront a huge deterioration of economic and social conditions, and a paralysis of medical- sanitary services and of national infrastructure. The reduction of anti- personnel mines was a necessary and high priority task for public security, socio-economic development and the protection of human life.

He noted that Argentina’s highly-skilled demining teams that were providing human resources in mine clearance and destruction. Since 1993, technical assistance had been provided to Angola and on the border between Peru and Ecuador. In addition, his Government offered the Government of the United Kingdom the opportunity to remove landmines, which had been planted during the conflict in 1982 in Malvinas. He felt that Argentina's efforts to eradicate landmines showed its commitment. In closing, Argentina urged all countries to sign the Ottawa Convention, and indicated its readiness to do whatever necessary to help advance that goal.

IVAN SIMONOVIC (Croatia) said the supposed effectiveness of anti-personnel mines in military conflicts was often used as an argument by those still unwilling to sign the Ottawa Convention. However, according to many military analysts and experts, it had become a superfluous element in modern warfare. Civilian casualties in the aftermath of military conflicts were often the main result of the use of those monstrous devices, he said.

Croatia, he went on, was one of the most mine-affected countries, and had direct experience of the disastrous effects of mines. It therefore attached the utmost importance to mine action assistance. Years of bitter fighting had left approximately 1 million mines and items of unexploded ordnance scattered over the territory of Croatia. Such a high density of mines represented a tremendous obstacle for the normal functioning of life in those areas, particularly in predominantly agricultural regions, hampering the return of refugees and displaced persons to their homes.

He said missing plans of existing minefields presented an additional obstacle in the mine clearance process. All those who were in position to help should do so. After the end of hostilities, any country or individual possessing such plans that could facilitate mine-clearance activities, and chose not to forward such, became an accomplice in the tragedy of future innocent victims. The mine-clearance process was not only extremely dangerous and time- consuming, but also a very expensive activity. In this respect, a Croatian team of experts was looking into the most favourable solutions to achieve the safest and most cost-effective projects that would enable efficient mine action. It was estimated that 10 more years of mine clearance was needed, at the general cost of approximately $1,157 billion (US), to reach a point where it could be said that most of the work had been achieved. He described plans by Croatia to solve the mine problem of the country by the year 2010, adding that regionally, Croatia played an active role in the Stability Pact Working Group on Mine Action. Globally, he said, Croatia would work hard with all interested countries to support the Ottawa Convention in its next phase.

WU HAITAO (China) said his country supported the efforts of the international community with regard to landmines. His Government attached great importance to the issue, and supported the reasonable restriction in the use of landmines. Since 1992, his Government had undertaken two major landmine clearance operations in his country, which had achieved a significant amount of success. The Chinese Government had actively participated in the International Assistance in Mine Action. Since last year, China had cooperated with United Nations bodies, and had organized the second International Mine Training Course. China would continue to join international efforts in mine action and try to open up more land for peace and tranquility.

AARON JACOB (Israel) said that as a nation that had long lived under the threat of war, Israel longed for a day when civilian life would be free from the threat of anti-personnel landmines. Those undiscriminating weapons, which echoed shots fired long ago and conflicts raging miles away, had no place in civil society. The past decade had yielded a glimmer of hope in the Middle East and elsewhere, with people from different nations, who clashed on the battlefields of yesterday, clearing the minefields today. The report of the Secretary-General reaffirmed that action by individual States alone could no longer quell the humanitarian threat posed by anti-personnel landmines. That fitted with Israel’s general position on disarmament, which had long maintained that cooperative regional arrangements were the best mechanism for curbing the proliferation of arms and for combating the scourge of landmines in the Middle East -- a region where wars, armed conflict and political non-recognition were still common.

The Jordan Valley was still infested with anti-personnel mines planted decades ago, he said. Israel and Jordan, which forged a peace in 1994, had agreed to launch a large-scale project to demine the Valley. But even the most thorough demining projects would not suffice unless accompanied by a parallel effort to educate the general population about the danger of landmines. Israel

had initiated a number of other steps to control the proliferation of landmines and other weapons worldwide. In 1994, it enacted a moratorium on the export of anti-personnel mines and last year announced a decision to renew the moratorium until the year 2002.

Due to Israel’s unique situation in the Middle East, involving ongoing threats of hostilities from neighbouring countries, as well as terrorist threats and actions along its borders, Israel was still obliged to maintain its ability to use anti-personnel mines for self-defence in general, and along its borders in particular, in accordance with the requirements of the Conventional Weapons Convention. Israel, accordingly, was unable to commit itself to a total ban on the use of anti-personnel mines, as they remained indispensable to the protection of civilians threatened by terrorist infiltration and to the protection of the Israeli defence forces. At the same time, Israel supported a gradual process in which each State would undertake to cease proliferation of anti-personnel mines, accept restriction on possible use, and –- once circumstances permitted –- a ban on the production and use of such weapons.

PIERRE HELG, Observer for Switzerland, said his country recognized the key role played by the United Nations Mine Action Service, which ensured the coordination, application and management of mine action policies. Switzerland had noted with concern the serious financial difficulties of the Service, which undermined not only the functioning of the Service itself but also the projects and programmes it supported in mine-affected countries. He invited the Secretary-General to present proposals to the Assembly on how to ensure the long-term financing of the Service.

Switzerland had provided approximately 5 million Swiss francs to a number of countries and organizations active in demining, he said. Switzerland had also provided a number of experts to national and United Nations demining projects. Within the field of demining, Switzerland paid particular attention to cooperation with local partners. In Mozambique, it had established a relationship with the national institute for demining. Reinforcement of local capacities served not only to raise local awareness as to the long-term impact of anti-personnel mines, but also increased local confidence. With regard to capacity-building, the Swiss Army offered both a pool of qualified experts and training courses in demining.

He pointed out that 139 countries had signed and 108 countries had ratified the Convention banning anti-personnel mines, which underlined the importance the international community attached to the issue. However, he reminded the Assembly that several countries, some of them very powerful, had not acceded to the Convention. The effort to secure universal accession had to be maintained and strengthened.

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