US Campaign to Ban Landmines reports from Brussels
Rich Winkel
/** headlines: 204.0 **/
** Topic: US Campaign to Ban Landmines reports from Brussels **
** Written 7:35 AM Jun 26, 1997 by newsdesk in cdp:headlines **
/* Written 12:02 PM Jun 25, 1997 by dise...@cdi.org in disarm.armstrade */
/* ---------- "(Mines) Brussels: Press 24 June 97" ---------- */
From: ji...@vi.org (jill) (by way of David Isenberg <dise...@cdi.org>)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For additional information contact:
Mary Wareham (+32 2) 075 227 147 (mobile) or (+32 2) 513 2901
Koen van den Broeck (+32 2) 075 773 341 or (+32 2) 513 2997
FAX: (+32 2) 513 5340
UNITED STATES SEEKS TO UNDERMINE LANDMINE BAN TREATY
(Brussels, Belgium: 25 June 1997) US delegates to a conference on
landmines marking the half way point in the Ottawa Process, which will
produce a ban treaty in December of this year, are testing the waters to
see how many holes can be shot in the treaty in order to accommodate US
policy. The US Campaign to Ban Landmines supports the international call
for a simple ban treaty with no exceptions, no reservations and no
loopholes. 152 countries and 125 non-governmental representatives from 45
countries, including 13 landmine survivors, are attending the four-day
Brussels Conference which opened yesterday.
"We are particularly concerned that US delegates, through bilateral
consultations, are pressing for an explicit exception for new use of all
mines in Korea and the continued use of smart mines indefinitely anywhere
in the world," said Stephen Goose, Human Rights Watch and Chair, Steering
Committee of the US Campaign. "The use of landmines in Korea is not
uniquely justified under international law, thus the US Campaign rejects
any exception for Korea or any other geographical area in the ban
treaty."
An exception for Korea would permit the United States to keep its
stockpile of 10 million smart mines. The US Campaign believes that a
Korea exception is but a fig leaf to cover the real intent of US policy
which is to continue to be able to use its smart mines indefinitely.
Obviously, it is of serious concern that if the U.S. were granted its
exception, this would open the treaty to a flood of exceptions from other
countries with their own "unique" concerns.
"While Korea may or may not be a unique geopolitical situation, the US
has not and cannot make the case that Korea is unique with regard to the
use of landmines, particularly when it bases its argument on a flawed
computer war-gaming model," said Mary Wareham, Vietnam Veterans of
America Foundation and Coordinator of the US Campaign to Ban Landmines.
Among other serious flaws, the model assumes the removal of all antitank
as well as antipersonnel mines when contemplating the defense of South
Korea.
The US stance is in stark contrast to the announcements by France, the UK
and Italy that they are supporting the Ottawa Process. The US now stands
with Greece and Turkey as the only NATO countries not on board the Ottawa
Process. "US officials have indicated that a fundamental review of US
landmine policy is underway," according to Ms. Wareham. "We remain
hopeful that they will be prepared to sign a ban treaty this December but
we would prefer that the US stay outside of the process rather than to
contribute to the creation of a treaty full of loopholes, exceptions and
reservations. Such a treaty is not a true ban treaty."
#######################################
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For additional information contact:
Mary Wareham (+32 2) 075 227 147 (mobile) or (32 2) 513 2901
Koen van den Broeck (32 2) 075 773 341 or (32 2) 513 2997
FAX: (+32 2) 513 5340
AUSTRALIAN DUPLICITY AT LANDMINES CONFERENCE
(Brussels, Belgium: 25 June 1997) The Australian government's position at
a significant international conference has stunned governments and
Australian representatives of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines
alike. 152 countries and 125 non-governmental representatives from 45
countries, including 13 landmine survivors, are attending the four day
Brussels International Conference for a Global Ban on Landmines which
opened yesterday.
Even though Australia came to this conference as a full participant,
signaling its willingness to participate in the Ottawa Process, in a
speech yesterday they insisted that an effective ban can be better
negotiated through the United Nations Conference on Disarmament - this
despite the fact that the CD has been deadlocked over the issue of
landmines all year. A ban through the CD is likely to take years, even
decades while the humanitarian toll from landmines already in the ground
grows by 26,000 casualties per year.
Australian ban supporters at the conference who work daily with landmine
victims in Cambodia, Afghanistan and Bosnia were disappointed by their
government's stance. "Today we are ashamed of being Australians. Our
government's position demonstrates a lack of commitment by Australia to
obtain a complete ban on antipersonnel landmines as soon as possible"
said Denise Coghlan, an Australian working with Cambodian mine victims.
"Australia still retains the right to use landmines in certain conditions
- this is not a true renunciation of use and it is inconsistent with the
positions of other important countries such as France," said Australian
John Rodsted, working with Landmine Survivors Network. France announced
yesterday that it fully supports the Ottawa Process and will sign the
Brussels declaration and treaty in December and will remove its use
exception when the ban treaty is signed or in 1999, whichever comes
first. Italy reconfirmed its commitment last week to support the December
ban treaty and to renounce operational use of antipersonnel landmines.
During the opening plenary the International Campaign to Ban Landmines
delivered a clear, unequivocal message that the Campaign "wants a simple,
comprehensive ban treaty. No exceptions, no reservations, no loopholes."
Only 37 nations declared themselves as observers although it is unclear
how many of the 115 full participants, in particular Australia, will sign
the Brussels Declaration indicating their support for the Austrian draft
of the Ban Treaty and their intention to sign the treaty in December.
The Brussels Declaration will be open to signature up until the opening
of the Oslo Diplomatic Negotiating Conference on 1 September.
# # #
PRESS RELEASE
Brussels, Belgium: 25 June 1997
Mines Advisory Group
Majat Muhammed Sadiq
Salahadin Hamed
Landmines do not go away nor do their effects diminish simply because
governments gather in Brussels to belatedly negotiate a ban. Yesterday
(Tuesday) while delegates were announcing their positions within the
Ottawa Process two Mines Advisory Group (MAG) deminers were responding
to an emergency call from a community in North Iraq. During the response
operation Majat Muhammed Sadiq was killed by an Italian bounding
fragmentation mine and his colleague Salahadin Hamed received severe eye
injuries. Both men were experienced deminers who have worked with MAG for
over four years. We would like to pay tribute to both Majat and
Salahadin, our friends and colleagues, and the many thousands of men and
women whose work is ridding the world of landmines. We hope that this sad
news will assist delegates in understanding the true nature of their
responsibilities.
For information contact: Lou McGrath, MAG: 32 2 218-00680 or
32-2-513-2901 or mobile 32-2-075-22-71-47
****************************************************
Mary Wareham
Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation
Coordinator, US Campaign to Ban Landmines
2001 S St NW suite 740
BRUSSELS CONFERENCE
email: banmi...@vi.org
http://www.vvaf.org
Ban 'em, Clear 'em, Help the Victims, Sign the Treaty
** End of text from cdp:headlines **
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