Fifty-seventh General Assembly

Plenary

51^st Meeting (AM)

GENERAL ASSEMBLY, REVIEWING GLOBAL MINE-CLEARANCE EFFORTS, IS TOLD

LINGERING PROBLEM DESTROYS RESOURCES, HAMPERS DEVELOPMENT

Grave Human Toll Continues from Years-old Weapons: ‘Assassins in Hiding’,

Says Lebanon, Among Delegates of 20 Countries Urging Continued Removal Action

The continuing existence of landmines and ordnance constituted a major threat to development, and in particular reconstruction efforts, in many parts of the world, the General Assembly was told this morning as it discussed assistance in mine action.  Delegates from twenty countries gave their views on the problem and ways of dealing with it.

Landmines, noted Colombia’s representative, not only seriously affected the physical and psychological integrity of entire groups of the population but also posed a serious threat to their daily lives, leaving fertile lands unproductive and destroying natural resources.  In the first nine months of 2002, there were 459 victims of landmines in Colombia -– about two victims a day.  Sadly, 50 per cent of the civilian victims were children. 

One key to ensuring progress in mine clearance, stated Canada’s representative, was for the concerned countries themselves to recognize and communicate clearly the crucial role that mine action must play as a priority in their overall development plans -– recognition that, beyond the individual human tragedy they wreaked, landmines represented in many situations a major obstacle to post-conflict recovery, peace and long-term development.  It was crucial, he added, for the United Nations to acknowledge the critical role mine action had to play in advancing the Organization’s broader purposes of peace, security and development.

The representative of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic called for intensified international cooperation, declaring that millions of landmines and other unexploded ordnance were still buried in more than 60 countries and thousands of innocents were killed or injured every day.

Egypt was still shouldering the human and material burden for the clearance of landmines and unexploded ordnance, despite the fact that those mines and ordnance were left behind by foreign forces, its representative stated.  He said that while agreeing with the humanitarian objectives of the Ottawa Convention on the subject, he had reservations about it, as did several other Member States.  The Convention ignored the responsibility of the States that planted mines in other countries, and was unclear on the necessary assistance in that regard.

Indeed, noted Libya’s representative, it would be difficult to realize the universalization and implementation of the Ottawa Convention unless the concerns expressed by States were taken into consideration.  The mines planted during World War II had led to the deaths of thousands and hindered efforts to combat desertification, build roads and exploit the land for agriculture.

Landmines were “assassins in hiding”, said the representative of Lebanon.  Their victims came to them, often decades after the end of war or conflict.  He said the Israeli occupation had left a large number of landmines, estimated at 450,000, on Lebanese soil.  His Government had called on Israel to hand over all its maps of the area.  Replying, Israel’s representative stated that five days after Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon, Israeli Defence Force officers had transferred detailed maps showing locations of mines in southern Lebanon.  They had also included information about mines planted by other elements in the area.

Statements were also made by the representatives of the Sudan, Peru, Pakistan, Australia, Russian Federation, Ukraine, Denmark (for the European Union and associated States), Thailand, Republic of Korea, Senegal, United States, Japan and Slovenia. 

The representative of Lebanon also exercised his right of reply.

On Monday, 18 November, the Assembly will hold an open-ended panel on “Afghanistan: one year later”.  The first session, on political issues, will take place from 9 to 11 a.m. and the second session, on economic issues, will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Assembly will continue its discussion of assistance in mine action on Tuesday morning, 19 November.

Background

The General Assembly met this morning to consider its agenda item assistance in mine action, for which it had before it the report of the Secretary-General (document A/57/430).  The period under review represents the first year of implementation of the five-year Mine Action Strategy submitted to the Assembly at its last session.  The report concludes that the experience of the past year has demonstrated the value of having a specific road map, where progress can be measured against clear objectives.  This experience has also allowed for a more systematic approach in the organization of work plans of mine-action organizations within the United Nations and has led to greater coherence across the whole spectrum of mine-action activities.

Mine action, the report notes, consists of two complementary sets of activities:  first, activities intended to eliminate the future use of landmines, and second, the work of dealing with the impact of the mines already laid, either by mine-risk education, minefield survey and marking, mine clearance, or a combination of all three.  The past year has highlighted a number of important lessons relating to the second. 

During the reporting period, the importance of prioritizing clearance work, in particular, and of achieving the most cost-effective solutions has been reasserted.  The value to mine-affected countries of undertaking a Landmine Impact Survey, tailored to its specific needs, is now widely recognized.  The development of a national mine-action strategy and plan becomes an objective, and not a subjective exercise, once such a survey has been completed and its results analysed. 

It is necessary, according to the report, to build further on the work started by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining on the cost benefits of mine action.  While the social benefits of mine clearance are unquestioned, simple cost-benefit analysis has been shown, in a number of contexts, to be a practical way of measuring the purely economic benefits of clearing mines.  This work needs to be pursued.

The International Mine Action Standards have been widely accepted as an excellent basis for the development of national standards and guidelines.  Nevertheless, there remain concerns in some quarters that the standards place constraints on the speed of mine-clearance operations.  Further active outreach, and a willingness to review specific standards, will be priorities for the coming year.  In this context, the urgency of making available translations of relevant standards is fully recognized. 

It is evident that mine action does not happen in isolation. Mine-action organizations need to reach out and integrate their activities into humanitarian and development programmes.  Several steps in this direction have been made in the past year and more efforts are needed to build partnerships with relevant organizations, including the World Bank and other lending institutions concerned with development.

It should be noted, the report concludes, that in a number of countries the planned transition of mine-action activities to national responsibility has been hampered by the inability of some donors to continue funding programmes after such a transfer, while in many cases the national Governments have been unable to absorb the costs.  Therefore, the question of transition strategies requires further attention. 

Statements

ANAS ELTAYEB ELGAILANI MUSTAFA (Sudan) said his country was one of the first to sign the Ottawa Convention because of its recognition of the grave risks emanating from mines, which affected civilians in particular.  Sudan was one of the countries facing risks from mines.  Therefore, it strongly supported all international and regional efforts to eliminate those risks.  He paid tribute to efforts in the field since the entry into force of that Convention in March 1999.  Those efforts had led to a relative decline in the rate of incidents.  Efforts included the European Union project to assist in mine action in Sudan, which started to train local personnel to safely remove landmines. 

He said he also appreciated the efforts of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to sensitize the population to the risks of landmines, and the national network for anti-landmines established to coordinate efforts in that regard.  Action was being taken on three tracks –- advocacy, assistance to victims and landmine removal.  The problem of landmines and ordnance remained a major obstacle to development and reconstruction in many parts of the world.  More progress could be made if the efforts of the United Nations and the Mine Action Service were coordinated with national and regional efforts.  He counted on the financing from the World Bank and international lending agencies to ensure the implementation of mine action strategies.  He called on all Member States to assist mine-affected countries by way of developing their national programmes. 

MARCO BALAREZO (Peru) said there was political will to eradicate landmines, because they were infamous weapons that struck down innocents.  Thus, it was surprising that in the First Committee, political circumstances had been brought forward to justify their use.  For Peru, there could be no justification given their perverse character.  Even when the conflicts that had given rise to the placement of mines ended, they still killed and mutilated.  Advocating a rapid response plan to face needs for demining in emergency situations, Peru was of the opinion that organizations devoted to mine action should expand and integrate their activities.

Peru was fulfilling two sets of complementary activities, he said, to avoid their future use and to deal with the effects of those already placed.  The nation’s arsenal of landmines had been destroyed.  In this effort, Peru had enjoyed the support and verification of the international community and civil society.  It had also coordinated with police forces to demine the high-tension towers, which needed protection during the period of terrorism.  In April 2002, Peru had expanded the scope of its agreement with the Organization of American States (OAS) for action against anti-personnel landmines.  Moreover, a draft law had been prepared for the creation of a Peruvian demining center aimed at achieving the Government’s goals in accordance with the Ottawa Convention.

The eradication of mines was part of a more ambitious foreign policy aimed at limiting arms investitures and devoting the money saved to social investment, he added.  South America, the first nuclear weapon-free zone, intended to become the first mine-free zone.  The Andean community had approved limitations and control of defence spending and reaffirmed the commitment of all not to use, acquire or trade in mines under any circumstances.  Furthermore, the South American Zone of Peace and Cooperation, discussed yesterday, provided for the gradual elimination and final eradication of landmines. 

MASOOD KHALID (Pakistan) said he hoped that the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) would fulfil its responsibility of clearing mines in Afghanistan diligently.  He also hoped the Inter-Agency Coordination Group on Mine Action would come up with a comprehensive plan of action, with United Nations agencies, to address mine-related emergencies.

He referred to the Secretary-General’s report and said he was disappointed that UNMAS had received only $28 million from donors between January 2001 and August 2002.  He urged donor nations to “bridge the gap” between the enormity of de-mining operations and available resources.  He hoped that the United Nations and international community would take note of Afghanistan and respond “on a priority basis”.

He said that Pakistan had contributed to de-mining operations in several affected countries, including Kuwait, Cambodia, Angola, Bosnia and Western Sahara. Pakistan had also declared a moratorium on landmine exports since 1997.

AHMED ABOUL GHEIT (Egypt) said his country, one of the most seriously affected by mines, had in 2000 adopted an ambitious policy to clear landmines and unexploded ordnance.  It was still shouldering the human and material burden for that policy, despite the fact that those mines and ordnance were left behind by foreign forces.  He called on those countries to assume responsibilities and shoulder the costs to allow the Egyptian people to be able to use their land to their benefit. 

Egypt, he said, had cooperated with the Mine Action Service, resulting in the dispatch of a mission from the United Nations in 2000 to Egypt to evaluate the problem.  Subsequently, the United Nations had published a report including a comprehensive review of the problem of mines in Egypt as well as proposals to deal with the problem.  On its part, Egypt established in 2000 a mechanism to coordinate the administrative and technical efforts to deal with the problem, and a national committee to monitor mine clearance.

Taking note of the United Nations Mine Action Strategy for 2000-2005, he said he had presented his country’s remarks on the Strategy to the Mine Action Unit in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO).  Unfortunately, adequate review and assessment of the strategy had been postponed until next year.  The strategy, which was less than the one adopted previously, was characterized by shortcomings in terms of the needs of the affected countries.  He called for a review of the strategy so that it could be efficient, effective and achieve its objectives.

He emphasized that Egypt, while agreeing with the humanitarian objectives of the Ottawa Convention, had reservations on it, as did several other countries.  First and foremost, the Convention ignored the responsibility of the States that planted mines in other countries, and it was unclear on the necessary assistance in that regard.  It also ignored the right of States to defend their borders and territories. 

ALOUNKEO KITTIKHOUN (Lao People’s Democratic Republic) said that intensified international cooperation was needed as millions of landmines and other unexploded ordnance were still buried in more than 60 countries, and thousands of innocents were killed or injured every day.  During the Indo-Chinese war more than 500,000 bombing missions were launched against his country, dropping more than two million tons of bombs.  More than 25 years later, unexploded ordnance still affected up to 50 percent of the country’s landmass.  It limited the physical safety, livelihoods and food security of 25 percent of all villages, and constituted a significant obstacle to socio-economic development.

Thus, the Government had drawn up a national Unexploded Ordnance Programme aimed at reducing the number of casualties.  The activities of the programme were divided into four areas:  community awareness, training and capacity building, survey and clearance.  Since its inception, the programme cleared 26.7 kilometers of land and educated nearly 800,000 people nationwide.  The Lao Trust Fund of the programme, supported by UNDP and UNICEF, continued to be the main channel for contributions to the programme’s work.  It was supported by those agencies as well as by the European Union, individual Governments and other organizations.

He said it was sad that landmines and other unexploded ordnance still threatened the lives of many people.  They constituted an obstacle to socio-economic development, particularly for developing countries.  Concerted global efforts were needed to ensure a peaceful and productive life for those now living with the threat of landmines.

BRUCE SCOTT (Australia) said his Government continued to work closely with other Member States to encourage wider adherence to the Ottawa Convention, an instrument designed to halt the use of all anti-personnel mines.  It supported the strategic goals of the United Nations Mine Strategy for 2001-05 by providing core funds to the United Nations Mine Action Service and by funding mine action interventions that helped to build national and local capacities.  He said Australia was particularly active in the Asia-Pacific region; it had worked closely with the Governments of Canada, Thailand, Japan and New Zealand over the last year to build support for the Convention.

During that same period it had committed or spent more than A$12 million on a range of humanitarian mine programmes.  Since January 1996, it had expended A$73 million on mine action activities, which took it well towards its target of A$100 million on mine action activities for the decade ending December 2005.  The main beneficiaries of its expenditures were Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Laos. Australia would also shortly commence funding a three-year mine clearance project in partnership with the Government of Viet Nam.  It had also contributed A$3 million to mine clearance activities in Afghanistan. 

ALEXANDER V. KONUZIN (Russian Federation) said he supported demining efforts under the United Nations strategy.  Every year since World War II, the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia neutralized tens of thousands of pieces of ammunition.  Russian soldiers and peacekeepers were killed from mine explosions.

He supported the incorporation of demining provisions, where appropriate, into the mandates of United Nations peacekeeping operations, and the Russian Federation was ready to contribute to this activity.  It had participated in several humanitarian demining projects from 2001 to 2002.

He said the prohibition of the production and use of antipersonnel mines should become the international community’s ultimate goal.  This goal should be pursued gradually while ensuring the largest possible participation of States in Protocol II (on Mines) of the 1980 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.  He considered of great importance the meeting of state parties to the Convention in Geneva this December.

MARKIYAN KULYK (Ukraine) said it was necessary to halt new deployments of anti-personnel mines to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of mine-clearance operations.  Progress had been made in the last 12 months in the field of mine action in terms of strategic planning, operation support and information management.  Public awareness had been increased and the development of new standards and mechanisms had strengthened international confidence in the integrity and value of mine action.

He said implementation of the six strategic goals and related objectives laid out by the United Nations Mine-Action Strategy had progressed, including inter-agency assessment missions to mine-affected countries, a finalized Rapid Response Plan to meet mine action requirements in emergencies, development and application of International Mine Action Standards and continued advocacy to universalize and implement the main international conventions.  The need to obtain adequate resources remained a constant challenge, but Ukraine appreciated that technical, material and financial resources for mine-clearance activities had been more available in the last year.

Ukrainians had rich experience in modern demining technologies, and they had worked in the former Yugoslavia, Angola, Sierra Leone and Lebanon.  He said he wished to draw attention to the issue of unexploded remnants and ordnance of war.  In the last five years, more than 50 thousand explosives had been neutralized within Ukrainian territory.  In this context, United Nations efforts to foster mine-action capacities in countries where unexploded ordnance was a serious danger should be continued.

OLE MOESBY (Denmark), speaking on behalf of the European Union, pointed out the social and economic costs of mine action.  In post-conflict societies, landmines and unexploded ordnance impeded economic recovery and development by preventing people from returning to their homes and working their land.  Especially in the case of countries without the means to deal effectively with the problem, it had to be approached from within a humanitarian and development framework.  The European Community, he continued, would promote the integration of humanitarian mine action into development through its support of socio-economic impact studies and landmine impact surveys, and through its partnerships with affected communities, governments and other humanitarian and development actors.

Long-term development objectives and a firm political commitment by national authorities were crucial to the success of assistance in mine action.  The needs of the mine-affected community had to set the basic parameters for assistance.  Stressing the need for donor coordination, he said, the European Community would devote itself to furthering international coordination and cooperation on mine action and to forging partnerships with all relevant institutions and actors.  With its pledge of 240 million euros in support of mine action for the period 2002-09, the Community had become one of the world’s leading donors in that sector and through its common budget, it would complement and reinforce measures already undertaken by the international community.  In addition, the Community was finalizing the details of an integrated, focused strategy for assistance in mine action consistent with the Ottawa Convention.

NICOLAS RIVAS (Colombia) said that no accurate data concerning the exact number of anti-personnel landmines in Colombia was available.  Estimates put the figure at about 100,000, most of which were concentrated in four areas of the country.  Efforts had been undertaken to create a culture of prevention regarding future accidents, as well as a comprehensive rehabilitation strategy for mine victims and their reintegration into society.  His country had established the Colombian National Authority for Mine Action, presided over by the Vice-President and involving the broad participation of both governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), whose common objective was the total ban and eradication of landmines in Colombia.

Non-State armed groups continued to use mines all over the country, he said.  Landmines not only seriously affected the physical and psychological integrity of entire groups of the population but they also pose a serious threat to their daily lives towards the future, by leaving wide fertile lands unproductive and destroying natural resources.  The rehabilitation process of a single victim generated immense costs for a country and had profound impact on the victims themselves regarding their new role in their families and in the society.

He said that during the first nine months of 2002, 459 people had become victims of landmines in Colombia -– about two victims a day.  Sadly, 50 per cent of the civilian victims were children.

IBRAHIM ASSAF (Lebanon) said that landmines were "assassins in hiding".  Their victims came to them, often decades after the end of war or conflict.  The global scourge of landmines was illustrated by statistics such as the number of landmines, estimated at hundreds of millions.  They were scattered in 90 States -- half the world -- and claimed 15,000 victims each year, the majority of whom were civilians.  In response to this issue, the United Nations had adopted measures, such as technical assistance, the construction of an Internet site, and six strategic goals and objectives for demining.  The countdown for the elimination of landmines had begun, yet more remained to be done to achieve the objectives.

The Israeli occupation had left a large number of landmines, estimated at 450,000, on Lebanese soil scattered over 472 square kilometres -– five percent of Lebanon’s area, he said.  In addition to human losses, largely among civilians, these landmines denied a sector of the local populations from returning to their homes and impeded the work of the United Nations in southern Lebanon.

In this context, the Government of Lebanon had adopted a set of measures in line with the six strategic objectives of the United Nations.  Lebanon had established a national office to combat landmines.  It had requested assistance in demining, to which the United Nations and individual countries had responded.  An anti-landmines centre for southern Lebanon had been established.  Also, in this regard, Lebanon reiterated its call for Israel to hand over all its maps of the area in accordance with relevant United Nations resolutions.  An office had been established to provide counselling services and awareness lessons in the schools of southern Lebanon.

CHUCHAI KASEMSARN (Thailand) supported the adoption of the United Nations mine-action strategy for 2001, and the emphasis on the coordinating role of the United Nations in the fight against landmines and the call for effective partnerships.

He expressed concern about the conclusion in the Secretary-General’s report that the planned transition of mine-action activities to national responsibility in some cases had been hampered by the inability of some donors to continue funding.  That “discontinuation of funding” should not take place.

He said that Thailand would not have been able to achieve many of its goals without assistance from partners, such as international organizations and NGOs.  Thailand had destroyed 120,000 more mines in its stockpiles, while work was continuing on the clearance of mines.  Thailand had also hosted a regional workshop in March, with the support of the United States, and a regional seminar in May.  In September next year, it would host the Fifth Meeting of the States Parties to the Ottawa Convention.

SON SE-JOO (Republic of Korea) supported the expanded missions undertaken by the United Nations Mine Action Service, in conjunction with other United Nations agencies, to determine the needs of mine-affected countries.  He also supported the development of the e-mine information network, and hoped to see the integration of more resources into that network.

He said he supported the “rapid response” plan and the further integration of emergency capabilities into the current mine action emergency response.  The plan to address threat-monitoring and contingency planning, being developed for integration, would bolster response capabilities.

He also said efforts to build partnerships with international organizations were crucial.

He said that, since 1997, the Korean Government had enforced an “indefinite extension” of its moratorium on anti-personnel mines.  Last year, it also acceded to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons and its Amended Protocol II.  It also undertook mine-clearing operations with North Korea in the Demilitarized Zone of the Korean Peninsula last September, to reconnect the rails and roads that had been suspended for the past five decades between the north and the south.

JUMA AMER (Libya) hoped that the United Nations would pursue its efforts to support national efforts for mine clearance.  The Secretary-General had stated in his report that among the objectives for the coming period was to realize the universalization and implementation of the Ottawa Convention, in an effort to eradicate the deadly scourge of landmines.  It would be difficult to realize that objective unless the preoccupations expressed by States, including his own, were taken into consideration.  The Convention ignored several important issues, including the legal responsibility of colonial countries which had planted mines in other countries. 

Libya, he said, had suffered, and was still suffering from the problem of landmines planted during the Second World War, leading to the death of thousands and hindering efforts to combat desertification, build roads and exploit the land for agriculture.  Fifty years after that war, the mines left behind remained buried in the sand, waiting to injure or kill the citizens of his country.  Libya still hoped that Germany and the United Kingdom, which had planted mines during the war, would emulate the approach of Italy and conclude agreements with Libya to help combat the problem and compensate the Libyan people for the destruction caused. 

PAPA LOUIS FALL (Senegal) said that the development of the Rapid Response Plan and the adoption of international standards represented successes in United Nations efforts at mine action.  The figures of 60 to 70 million buried landmines confronted the international conscience.  A mine injured one person every 22 minutes, leading to 26,000 people maimed each year.  In addition to the serious physical and psychological damage they caused, landmines threatened the economies and security of areas in which they proliferated.  On this issue, too, Africa was the continent most affected.

In adopting the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), African leaders had not lost sight of the importance of security and eradicating landmines, he said.  For this reason, Senegal advocated that all mine action should be part of the familiar five-fold pattern, promoting assistance and rehabilitation of victims, mine awareness, education on risk reduction, demining, destruction of mine stocks, and the universalization of the Ottawa Convention.

He called upon the international community to provide financial and technical assistance to build national capacities for responding to victims’ needs.  Praising the efforts of Canada and the European Union to build a global network to make available resources for the eradication of mines and informational forums on demining at affordable prices, he added that it was important to maintain, strengthen and increase the momentum created by the Ottawa process.

CINDY COSTA (United States) said that as a strong supporter of humanitarian mine action, the United States had co-sponsored last year’s resolution on Assistance in Mine Action.  It looked forward to negotiating this year’s text, with a view to co-sponsorship once again.  Since 1993, the United States had dedicated more than $600 million to humanitarian mine action and would provide approximately $100 million more in 2003 in more than 43 countries.  To that end, she said, the United States was pleased that concerted efforts by mine-affected countries, as well as donor governments, international organizations, non-governmental organizations and civil society, had resulted in significant progress toward "a mine safe world".

Since 1998, beginning in Afghanistan, the country had expanded its humanitarian mine action assistance to more than 40 countries, helping to clear the most dangerous minefields.  It had trained humanitarian deminers and provided medical assistance and vocational training to survivors of landmine incidents and their families.  The United States had conducted research and development into new technologies to detect and clear landmines more safely, quickly and efficiently, she stated. 

Because it believed that the most effective way it could help mine-affected countries was by supporting sustainable, indigenous programmes, the United States had established most of its programmes on a bilateral basis, she added.  However, it recognized the important role the United Nations system had in meeting that international challenge. 

To accelerate the elimination of persistent landmines and provide assistance to survivors of landmine accidents, the United States had forged more than 30 public-private partnerships to augment government resources.  She said partnerships had added a dynamic element to mine action.  She cited the “Adopt-A-Minefield” programme of the United Nations Association of the USA which worked with the United Nations and the United Nations Foundation to help demine Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Croatia, Mozambique and Viet Nam.  To date, more than $5 million had been realized and 100 minefields demined.  Such programmes had also been created in the United Kingdom, Canada and Sweden.  She said that as a supporter of the Amended Mines Protocol, and a proponent of expanding the scope of that Protocol to include anti-vehicle and anti-personnel mines, the United States had destroyed more than 3.3 million of its own landmines and had had a transfer ban in place since 1993.  

The United States, she concluded, was committed to supporting public and private efforts for mine action and was proud of those efforts and the progress that had resulted when government, international agencies and private groups worked together toward a mine-safe world.

FUMIKO SAIGA (Japan) said a comprehensive approach to eliminating landmines should be based on realizing a universal and effective ban on landmines and strengthened assistance in mine action including mine clearance, mine awareness and victim assistance.  In this context, she said, Japan had advocated a Zero Victim Initiative, to which it had pledged approximately 90 million United States dollars, provided assistance to 25 counties to support mine action activities, and contributed approximately 17 million dollars to the United Nations Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Action.  Japanese assistance had taken the form of providing mine-clearance equipment, dispatching experts to mine-affected countries and supporting the landmine-related work of non-governmental organizations.

In Afghanistan, she added, Japan had donated 19.2 million dollars to United Nations organizations and other bodies for mine-action activities, in the hope of alleviating the plight of refugees and displaced persons.  Further, 4.8 million dollars was granted to UNDP, the Mine Action Center for Afghanistan and the United Nations Office for Project Services for their mine programs.  Japan spared no effort for victim assistance, providing artificial limbs for landmine victims and supporting their rehabilitation and socio-economic reintegration.

She noted that a large number of mines remained and the number of victims continued to increase.  Thus, Japan found it desirable to take a systematic approach, such as developing a standardized system to monitor the progress of mine-action programmes and a mechanism to gather and disseminate information on lessons learned.

ROSS HYNES (Canada) said demining efforts continued in more than 70 countries, with many others in need of similar programmes.  More than 200 million mines remained in the stockpiles in more than 90 nations.  This year, two United Nations Member States engaged in large-scale mine-laying operations, and some others continued to use them in smaller deployments.  Fourteen States were still officially producers of those weapons.

Against that background, victims of landmines numbered 15,000-20,000 last year, he noted.  So the urgent humanitarian imperative continued, as did the political imperative of securing ever-increasing, and ultimately universal, acceptance of the norms of the Ottawa Convention.  The United Nations had been an essential partner in the work undertaken to date, and had a crucial, central role in facing the challenges ahead.

One key to ensuring progress in mine clearance, he said, was for the concerned countries themselves to recognize and communicate clearly the crucial role that mine action must play as a priority in their overall development plans --– recognition that, beyond the individual human tragedy wreaked by landmines, they represented in many situations a major obstacle to post-conflict recovery, peace and long-term development.

In the same vein, it was crucial for the United Nations and its Member States to acknowledge the critical role mine action had to play in advancing the Organization’s broader purposes of peace, security and development in many parts of the world.  One way in which that reality could be given concrete recognition would be through the dedication of a more appropriate share of regular budget resources to core mine action operations such as those of the Mine Action Service.

ROMAN KIRN (Slovenia) said that sustained efforts were needed by States parties to the Ottawa Convention to meet their obligations, and by the international community to ensure continued assistance in meeting its obligations and commitments.  Those efforts for global mine action could well be threatened if they were not supported by the renewed and unequivocal political commitment which was so necessary to surmount donor fatigue in mine clearance.

Citing Slovenia’s involvement and support of mine action in South-East Europe, he said that, in order to ensure sustainability in that regard, it would be worthwhile to provide an opportunity within the United Nations framework to share experiences and lessons learned so far in the whole mine action sphere.

Rights of Reply

Speaking in right of reply, CHAIM SHACHAM (Israel) said he wished to clarify certain inaccuracies in the statement made by the representative of Lebanon.  On 24 May 2000, Israel had fully withdrawn from southern Lebanon, pursuant to United Nations resolution 425.  Five days later, on 29 May, Israeli Defence Force officers had transferred detailed maps used by the Israeli Defence Forces showing locations of mines in southern Lebanon.  They had also included information about mines planted by other elements in the area.  The senior command of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) had signed a record of the transfer.

As many knew, southern Lebanon had served as a breeding ground of terrorism for many years, he added.  Throughout that period, large quantities of mines, booby-traps and other devices had been laid, but their locations were never marked, nor were the areas fenced off to protect civilians.  Those mines and booby-traps continued to pose a serious threat to civilians.  It was the responsibility of the Lebanese Government to reassert control over southern Lebanon.  Their failure to do so endangered the civilian population in the area.  However, Israel remained willing to assist with clarification on the materials transferred, as demonstrated by its activity elsewhere.

He said Israel had conducted a mine-awareness program in Angola.  Additionally, it had conducted a joint mine clearance project with Jordan and had joined another project with Canada, Norway and Jordan to rehabilitate Jordanian mine victims.  Where the parties were willing to cooperate, much good could be accomplished.  But when cooperation was absent the result was a perpetuation of the threat to innocent civilians.

Mr. ASSAF (Lebanon), also speaking in right of reply, said the Israeli representative had not wanted to let this meeting pass without making more mischaracterizations.  He said the Israeli representative had raised a number of issues not addressed in the original Lebanese statement; instead of addressing the core issue, the representative of Israel had jumped to speak about other issues as a distraction from the main subject.

Regarding United Nations resolution 425 and the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, he described Israel as a failing student who claimed to have scored a high mark, relative to his previous performance.  However, withdrawal from southern Lebanon was not sufficient.  Israel had to fulfil many other obligations.

He said the Israeli representative had claimed that the Israeli Defence Force officers meeting on 29 May 2000 with UNIFIL command officers had handed over all their information regarding mines.  However, said Mr. Assaf, the Secretary-General’s report on UNIFIL had stated that Israel had submitted additional information on minefields in southern Lebanon to UNIFIL on 30 April 2002.  On that date, Israel had submitted information on “some mines” in southern Lebanon.  In plain language, the Israeli’s representative’s statements were untruthful; he had used imprecise language.

Mr. SHACHAM (Israel) said he was bewildered by the statement made by Lebanon.  Two and a half years ago, there had been a radial change on the

Israeli/Lebanese border.  Israel had withdrawn from southern Lebanon, in conformity with Security Council resolution 425, and that had been verified by the Secretary-General.  The Lebanese sentiments had little to do with Israel or its actions.  Israel had never harbored aspirations towards Lebanon or its resources, but had acted only in self-defence.  There was another State which occupied Lebanon.

Mr. ASSAF (Lebanon) said the Israeli representative had no sense of shame and was lying.  He stated falsehoods and did not respond to the remarks made by Lebanon.  The Secretary-General had admitted in his report on UNIFIL that Israel had not submitted all the maps.  Why had the Israeli representative not responded to that?  The Israeli representative should have just remained silent.

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