Disarmament Diplomacy

News Review

3rd Anniversary of Ottawa Convention Entry into Force

The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction - opened for signature in the Canadian Capital in 1997, and known popularly as the Ottawa Convention - entered into force on March 1, 1999. The third anniversary was marked by numerous events around the world, including a 'Canadian Landmine Awareness Week' (February 25-March 3) organised by the Canadian government and designed to provide "an opportunity...to celebrate our country's internationally recognised role in banning AP mines, to show solidarity with communities affected by mines, to try to better understand the issue, and to recommit ourselves to working for a mine-free world."

Progress towards the goal of global abolition, and obstacles remaining in the way of the Convention's full implementation and universalisation, were set out in a March 1 press release by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL). Expressing grave concern at the ongoing "mine warfare on the India-Pakistan border", the press release noted:

"A total of 122 countries have ratified and another 20 have signed the Convention... Although most of Africa, Europe and Latin America, and some countries in Asia, have joined the treaty, the following are among those that have so far refused to become states parties: China, Egypt, Finland, India, Israel, North and South Korea, Pakistan, Russia and the United States. ... [C]onsiderable progress has been made [since March 1999] in eradicating anti-personnel mines: the international trade in mines is now at a virtual standstill, production has gone down dramatically, global use of mines has been reduced, there is an encouraging decline in the number of new mine victims, vast tracts of land have been cleared, and tens of millions of anti-personnel mines in stockpiles have been destroyed."

As reported in the last issue, there is speculation in that the US is preparing to distance itself from the goal of the Clinton administration to develop technological alternatives to landmines, allowing American entry into the Convention by 2006. On February 25, the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF) launched a $1 million advertising campaign to persuade the White House to join the treaty as soon as possible. As VVAF President Bobby Muller stated optimistically on the day of the launch: "This is an extremely good opportunity to get President Bush to make the kind of leadership decision that unfortunately we weren't able to get President Clinton to [make] - get rid of land mines..." Administration officials stress that no decision has been taken, and that an announcement on US landmines policy may still be a few months away.

Reports: Vets urge Bush to OK land mine ban, Associated Press, February 25; India and Pakistan come under fire for mine use as ICBL marks Mine Ban Treaty anniversary, ICBL Press Release, March 1 (http://www.icbl.org); Canadian landmine awareness week, Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (http://www.mines.gc.ca).

© 2002 The Acronym Institute.