FOURTH MEETING OF STATES PARTIES TO OTTAWA CONVENTION TO BE HELD IN GENEVA FROM 16 TO 20 SEPTEMBER

FOURTH MEETING OF STATES PARTIES TO OTTAWA CONVENTION

TO BE HELD IN GENEVA FROM 16 TO 20 SEPTEMBER

GENEVA, 12 September (UN Information Service) -- The Fourth Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on their Destruction (commonly referred to as the Ottawa Convention or the Mine Ban Treaty) will be held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva from 16 to 20 September.  

The Ottawa Convention completely outlaws the possession and use of anti-personnel landmines, and also contains rules for landmine clearance, destruction of landmine stockpiles, and assistance to victims of landmines.  It was opened for signature on 3 December 1997 and entered into force on 1 March 1999.  As of

14 August 2202, there were 122 States Parties to the Ottawa Convention.

The meeting will commence at 3 p.m. on Monday, 16 September, with an opening ceremony that will include addresses from Switzerland's President Kaspar Villiger and Princess Astrid of Belgium.  Following the ceremony, the States parties are expected to confirm the nomination of Ambassador Jean Lint of Belgium as President of the meeting and Ambassador Christian Faessler of Switzerland as Secretary-General.

A message from United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan will be read out at the meeting on his behalf.

During the Fourth Meeting of States Parties to the Ottawa Convention, States parties will hold general exchanges of views and will review the general status and operation of the Convention.  This will include discussions on a process to prepare for the first Review Conference of the Convention in 2004; article 7, reporting on transparency measures concerning the implementation of the Convention; and the 2002-2003 intersessional work programme.  There will also be informal consultations held on international cooperation and assistance on mine clearance awareness and mine action technologies, victim assistance, and stockpile destruction. 

The Fourth Meeting will build on the continuing work of the Ottawa Convention's four intersessional Standing Committees on Victim Assistance, Mine Clearance, Stockpile Destruction and General Status and Operation of the Convention.  These Standing Committees help to provide a global picture of priorities, as well as to consolidate and concentrate global mine action efforts, and ensure that implementation of the Convention is a continuous and sustained effort.

For further information, please contact Richard Lennane, Political Affairs Officer UN Department for Disarmament Affairs (Geneva Branch) Room D.609, Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10.  Tel:  +41 (0)22 917 22 98 and fax:  +41 (0)22 917 00 34.