CONFERENCE APPEALS FOR WIDER ADHERENCE TO PROTOCOL ON PROHIBITION OF MINES

CONFERENCE APPEALS FOR WIDER ADHERENCE TO PROTOCOL ON PROHIBITION OF MINES

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 10 December (United Nations Information Service) -- The Third Annual Conference of the States Parties to the Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby-Traps and Other Devices (Amended Protocol II), annexed to the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects (CCW), was held on 10 December 2001 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

Protocol II was amended on 3 May 1996 at the First Review Conference of the States Parties to the CCW and currently has 63 States parties.  In accordance with Article 13 of Amended Protocol II, the States parties meet annually to review its operation, prepare for review conferences, and consider technological developments that may assist in the protection of civilians from the indiscriminate effects of landmines.

At its meeting on December 10, the Conference elected by acclamation Ambassador Christian Faessler of Switzerland as President of the Third Annual Conference.  After the opening formalities of the Conference, the following delegations took part in the general exchange of views:  Japan, China, Canada, Russian Federation, United States, India, Republic of Korea, Bangladesh, Australia, Belgium, Pakistan, and Switzerland.  The representative of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines also made a statement.  During this exchange of views, delegations reviewed the operation and status of Amended Protocol II, emphasizing, in turn, the necessity of wider adherence.   

The Conference received national annual reports from 38 States parties, containing material on the dissemination of information on Amended Protocol II to armed forces and civilian populations; mine clearance and rehabilitation programs; technical and legislative requirements of the Protocol; measures taken on international technical information exchange, on international cooperation on mine clearance, and on technical cooperation and assistance. 

The Conference concluded its meeting with an appeal from States parties to promote wider adherence to Amended Protocol II in their respective regions and for all States that have not yet done so to accede to the Protocol.  The Conference recommended that the Secretary-General, as Depositary of the Amended Protocol II, and the President of the Conference, on behalf of the States parties, exercise their authority to achieve the goal of universality of Amended Protocol II. 

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