Disarmament Diplomacy

Issue No. 67, October - November 2002

News Review

Fourth Meeting of States Parties to Ottawa Convention

The Fourth Meeting of States Parties to the 1997 Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction - commonly known as the Ottawa Convention, or Mine Ban Treaty - was held in Geneva from September 16-20. A UN Press Release, issued at the close of proceedings, summarised the main themes explored at the evidently successful event:

"States parties...have confirmed their commitment to take strong action to fulfil the humanitarian aims of the landmark international treaty. 'Together we have achieved a great deal in implementing the Convention and promoting its universal acceptance. However, between now and the Convention's first Review Conference in 2004, additional efforts will be required to ensure that the Convention lives up to its humanitarian promise', said Ambassador Jean Lint of Belgium, President of the Meeting...

The Fourth Meeting took stock of success in a number of key areas. By the close of the Meeting, 128 states had acceded to the Convention - a remarkable achievement given that the Convention is a little more than five years old. In addition, it was reported that the states parties have destroyed more than 27 million stockpiled anti-personnel mines. The Meeting took equal note of the challenges that remain. 'With important deadlines approaching for the destruction of stockpiled mines and mine clearance, we must redouble our efforts to ensure full implementation of this important humanitarian instrument', said Mr. Lint. 'In this regard, I am particularly pleased that relevant actors have agreed to be steadfast in ensuring that by the Review Conference a significant renewal of our collective commitment is made to finish the job of eliminating anti-personnel mines. I am also heartened that states parties have agreed to urge armed, non-state actors to cease and renounce the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines'...

More than 700 delegates representing more than 130 states and dozens of international and non-governmental organizations took part in the Convention's fourth annual meeting. 'The participation of such a large number of actors demonstrates that the unique spirit of this Convention is alive and well', said Mr. Lint. 'In addition, the practical-minded approach of the states parties, which we have seen this week, will serve us well as we continue on the path to eradicating anti-personnel mines.' ...

A total of 131 states participated in the Meeting: 89 states parties and 42 observer states. These states were joined by several international organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), International Labour Organization (ILO), World Health Organization (WHO), and a large number of NGOs and institutes, including the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate International Campaign to Ban Landmines. ...

[T]he...Meeting held a general exchange of views, in which 69 delegations took part. ... [States parties agreed] to focus with even greater clarity on the achievement of the Convention's core humanitarian aims: clearing mined land, assisting victims, destroying stockpiled mines and universalizing the ban on anti-personnel mines. States parties placed a strong emphasis on meeting the four-year deadline for destroying stockpiled mines and the 10-year deadline for clearing mined land. The first deadlines for stockpile destruction occur on March 1, 2003.

States parties took note of the imperative to provide assistance to landmine survivors, especially given the fact that 15,000 to 20,000 landmine victims each year are added to the hundreds of thousands who already live with the disabilities caused by mines. To help ensure the full implementation of the Convention, states parties placed a renewed emphasis on resource mobilization and the open exchange of information. To promote universal acceptance of the Convention, states parties took aim at those states that still use, produce or possess anti-personnel mines, and those armed, non-state actors that do the same. ...

States parties began discussions on preparations for the Convention's First Review Conference, which will be held in 2004. At that time, important gains in addressing the global landmine problem will be required and states parties accepted that stepped-up action is required. The Meeting agreed to hold the Fifth Meeting of States Parties in Bangkok, Thailand, 15-19 September 2003..."

As of October 1, there were 49 non-signatories to the Convention, including major landmine-possessor and -producing states such as China, India, North and South Korea, Pakistan, Russia and the United States. Speaking at a press conference following the close of the Meeting, Stephen Goose, head of the delegation of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), commented: "Our message to all governments has always been 'ban them now!' We consider any use of anti-personnel mines to be illegal under existing international humanitarian law, independent of the Mine Ban Convention. All states are obligated not to use APMs [anti-personnel mines], and those who have expressed that they are in favour of joining the Convention should do so immediately. It is sometimes overstated about the importance of the United States, Russia and China joining the Convention. Of course, we want them to join, and eventually they will. But it is more important to have Angola and Afghanistan join because those are countries where anti-personnel mines have been used the most and where they have the most landmine victims."

As reported in the last issue, in late July Afghanistan announced its intention to accede to the Convention. The ratification process was duly completed on September 11. On September 19, a statement from the Canadian Department for Foreign Affairs and International Trade gave a particularly heartfelt welcome to the move:

"Bill Graham, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Susan Whelan, Minister for International Cooperation, today congratulated Afghanistan on completing its ratification... 'I am pleased that Afghanistan has joined the majority of states that accept the Ottawa Convention as the means to address the terrible legacy of landmines', said Minister Graham: 'Afghanistan's formal commitment to a ban on anti-personnel mines is a significant step toward building lasting peace and security in the region.' ... 'In Afghanistan, some 737 square kilometres are affected by mines and pose a clear danger for returning refugees and the local population,' Minister Whelan said... 'Removing mines and supporting the rehabilitation of those injured by landmine explosions are key to the country's recovery.'"

Shortly before the opening of the Fourth Meeting, the ICBL released its annual Landmine Monitor report, an exhaustive 922-page study of global developments. An ICBL press release summarised the main points, both negative and encouraging:

"More than 34 million stockpiled anti-personnel mines have been destroyed by 61 states, including seven million in the past year, according to a global report released today... According to the report, the export of anti-personnel landmines has nearly ceased, the number of countries producing the weapon has decreased from 55 to 14, mine action programs have expanded, there are fewer new mine casualties than in the past, and use of anti-personnel mines has fallen off. ... Nine governments were reported to have used anti-personnel mines in the reporting period (since May 2001), compared to at least 13 governments in the previous year. And two of the nine governments, Angola and Sri Lanka, stopped use in 2002 with cease-fires and have not resumed. Eight countries became states parties to the Mine Ban Treaty since the last annual report, including three that have recently used anti-personnel mines but now spurn the weapon - Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Eritrea - as well as regional leaders Nigeria and Chile. ...

The ICBL singled out non-treaty signatories India and Pakistan as especially deserving of criticism. Since December 2001, both countries have engaged in massive new mine-laying operations along their common border, possibly the biggest anywhere in the world in decades, resulting in numerous civilian casualties. These operations likely mean than more mines went into the ground globally than in the previous reporting period. The ICBL also condemned extensive ongoing use of anti-personnel mines by the governments of Myanmar [Burma] and Russia (in Chechnya), and lesser-scale ongoing use by Nepal and Somalia. In addition, despite a declared use moratorium in place since 1996, Georgian forces apparently laid anti-personnel mines in the reporting period. In Afghanistan, there were reports of limited use of mines and booby-traps by Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters, as well as the Northern Alliance. There were no instances of use of anti-personnel mines by the United States or coalition forces. In another disturbing development, Iran, which ostensibly instituted an export moratorium on anti-personnel mines in 1997, has apparently provided mines to combatants in Afghanistan and elsewhere. Mine clearance organizations in Afghanistan are encountering many Iranian-manufactured anti-personnel mines dated 1999 and 2000. Among Mine Ban Treaty states parties, the ICBL is most concerned about the failure of Tajikistan to meet treaty requirements. It has not submitted required transparency reports, not adopted any national implementation measures, not started or even planned for stockpile destruction, and most disturbingly, has apparently consented to use of anti-personnel mines by Russian forces inside Tajikistan.

New casualties due to landmines or unexploded ordnance (UXO) were reported in 69 countries in 2001. A majority of these countries (46) were at peace, not war. The number of new mine/UXO casualties each year is now estimated by Landmine Monitor to be some 15-20,000 per year. Landmine Monitor identified at least 7,987 reported new casualties in 2001, roughly the same number as in 2000, but many casualties continue to go unreported. ... Ninety countries are affected by landmines and/or unexploded ordnance, including several from World War II. In 2001 and early 2002, some form of mine clearance was underway in 74 of those countries. While on a global scale mine clearance and other mine action programs have expanded greatly over the past decade and particularly since 1997, a number of these programs have suffered financial crises recently. Global mine action funding has totaled over $1.4 billion in the past decade, including $237 million in 2001. However, the 2001 figure, which is roughly the same as in 2000, represents the first time since 1992 that a significant increase has not been registered."

Notes: speaking in Geneva on September 16, Jody Williams, co-recipient with the ICBL of the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize, warned of the risk of mine use in any US-led war against Iraq. According to Ms. Williams: "As the world seems relentlessly driven to the brink of war, we are increasingly concerned that some governments that have banned anti-personnel mines will find themselves engaged in joint military operations with US military forces using mines. The last time the United States used anti-personnel mines was against Iraq in the 1991 Gulf War. ... The United States should not use anti-personnel mines in Iraq or elsewhere. At the least, it should pledge now not to use anti-personnel mines in joint operations with Mine Ban Treaty countries, thereby putting them at risk of violating the treaty."

All US NATO allies are states parties to the Ottawa Convention, with the exception of Greece (a signatory) and Turkey, both of which are moving towards synchronised accession. On September 13, coinciding with the release of Landmine Monitor, NATO held a joint press conference at its headquarters in Brussels with the anti-landmine humanitarian relief group Handicap International. NATO stressed its ongoing work to assist demining efforts in Albania, Moldova and Ukraine. According to Edgar Buckley, NATO Assistant General Secretary for Defence Planning and Operations: "We've done [removed and destroyed] a couple of million landmines [in these countries], but the scope to do more is enormous... I think we are going to do more of these projects." While welcoming such work, Stan Brabant of Handicap International stated his group's opposition to NATO production and stockpiling of cluster bombs, and its use of such munitions in the 1999 Kosovo campaign: "The humanitarian impact [of cluster bombs] can be appalling... [I]t's something we're very concerned about."

Related material on Acronym website:

• 4th Meeting of States Parties, September 16-20

Reports: Landmine Monitor 2002, ICBL report, released September 13 (http://www.icbl.org); 34 million landmines destroyed, ICBL Press Release, September 13; NATO offers to step up anti-landmine activities, Associated Press, September 13; Mixed year for anti-landmine campaign, OneWorld US, September 13; Mine ban campaign cautions governments on Iraq, ICBL Press Release, September 16; Canada congratulates Afghanistan on completing ratification of the Ottawa Convention, Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Press Release No. 101 (2002), September 19; More than 130 countries agree to step up action to ensure success of landmines treaty, UN Press Release DC/2841, September 20; 4MSP closing press conference, September 20, 2002, ICBL Statement, September 22.

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© 2002 The Acronym Institute.