General Assembly Session 52 meeting 75

The President

Today, the General Assembly begins consideration of a very important agenda item: "Assistance in mine clearance". Five years ago the Assembly addressed this issue for the first time and remains seized with it today because of the real humanitarian disaster caused by the indiscriminate use of anti-personnel landmines.

The Secretary-General's annual report gives us the impressive dimensions and magnitude of this problem -- 110 million unexploded landmines still lie silent in more than 70 countries waiting for their prey. Approximately 2 million more are laid each year while only 100,000 are cleared. Thus, for every mine cleared, 20 more are laid.

Landmines are a serious impediment to the efforts of nations weakened by conflicts to rebuild their societies. Landmines stand in the way of recultivation of lands and prevent people from returning to their homes. It is shocking to hear that more women and children are killed, wounded and maimed by the explosion of landmines after a ceasefire than during the actual conflict.

I fully associate myself with the conclusion of the Secretary-General in his 1997 report that:

"only an integrated and holistic response to the issue of landmine contamination, and its multifaceted humanitarian, and socio-economic consequences, is capable of bringing real and lasting benefits to those who are considered at risk from these weapons." [A/52/679, para. 4]

It is my sincere hope that today's discussion will further contribute to the efforts of the international community in fighting this global problem.

I now call on the representative of Luxembourg to introduce draft resolution A/52/L.69.

Mr. Wolzfeld (Luxembourg)

First of all, I have the honour to introduce draft resolution A/52/L.69 dealing with assistance in mine clearance, on behalf of its sponsors. Andorra, Angola, Armenia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Uruguay have also indicated that they intend to sponsor this draft resolution.

The indiscriminate use of anti-personnel landmines is the cause of the mutilation and death of tens of thousands of people every year, including many women and children. Landmines exact a high human, social, economic and environmental cost and make it difficult to create the conditions needed for sustainable development in afflicted regions.

Through the draft resolution before the Assembly, the international community would reaffirm its concern at this unacceptable situation and undertake to remedy it as soon as possible. The Assembly would also note recent international initiatives, including the Oslo Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on Their Destruction, which try to give a concerted response to this humanitarian problem.

Mr. Wolzfeld (Luxembourg)

The international community, be it through Governments or through non-governmental organizations, is devoting significant human and financial resources to assistance in mine clearance, which by its very nature is a long-term task. The draft resolution recognizes this commitment and emphasizes the importance of assistance for the socio-economic rehabilitation of landmine victims. The draft resolution also recognizes the important role of the United Nations system in the coordination of activities related to mine clearance, in raising the awareness of populations and the world public of this problem, and in assistance in mine clearance. The success of the efforts of the United Nations system depends largely on adequate coordination which ensures a coherent, integrated approach to mine clearance activities and optimum use of resources and operational capacity. Moreover, the draft resolution encourages the Secretary-General to pursue his efforts to develop a comprehensive mine-clearance strategy for the United Nations system, which should enable it to carry out its functions as efficiently as possible.

In trying to resolve the problem of anti-personnel landmines, the international community is merely supplementing its efforts in the area of humanitarian assistance and development cooperation. In this spirit, we hope that this draft resolution will be adopted by the General Assembly by consensus.

Now I would like to make a statement on behalf of the European Union on agenda item 41, entitled "Assistance in mine clearance". The countries of Central and Eastern Europe that are associated with the European Union, including Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia, and the associated country, Cyprus, and Iceland and Liechtenstein have aligned themselves with this statement.

During our debate today, we will be examining the humanitarian dimension of the indiscriminate use of anti-personnel landmines. Every year, these mines maim and kill tens of thousands of people, including many women and children. The worst hit are people living in rural areas -- children who mistake small mines for toys, women and men working in the fields. In some cases, the presence of mines seriously hinders humanitarian assistance to populations that are the victims of conflicts. Peacekeeping, the consolidation of peace, rehabilitation and reconstruction in post-conflict situations are often made extremely difficult in these circumstances. These adverse effects make it clear why we need to ban the production and use of anti-personnel landmines.

Worse still, human, social, economic and environmental costs are high and make it difficult to create the conditions needed for sustainable development in afflicted regions.

In this discussion, our attention is focused on the humanitarian and developmental consequences of the proliferation and use of anti-personnel landmines. Although statistics regarding the number of unexploded anti-personnel landmines are not yet final, there are an estimated 110 million unexploded landmines in over 70 countries. About 2 million more are laid each year while only 100,000 are cleared. Thus for every mine cleared, twenty more are laid. Worse still, these mines are easily obtainable, often costing less than $2 each. The cost of clearing each of them, however, is between $300 and $1,000. The scale of the problem is therefore obvious.

The international community is devoting considerable human and financial resources to assistance in mine clearing, which by its very nature is a long-term job; to efficient mine clearance programmes in which the primary emphasis needs to be on helping the afflicted countries to develop national mine clearance capability; to mine-awareness programmes; and to the rehabilitation and reintegration into society of landmine victims.

It is particularly important that countries receiving assistance pledge not to use anti-personnel landmines. The extent to which the United Nations should be called upon to provide assistance in mine clearance must take account of how far the parties involved are themselves able to take on this obligation.

The European Union welcomes the increased importance which the United Nations is giving to mine clearance. We wish to emphasize the role played by the United Nations Secretariat in the field of mine clearance from the point of view of defining policies and priorities, as well as from the operational and coordination point of view. The success of the efforts of the United Nations system depends largely on adequate coordination to ensure a coherent and integrated approach to mine clearance activities and on the full and effective use of resources and operational capacity. In this context, we welcome the decision to make the Department of Peacekeeping Operations the focal point for mine-clearance activities within the United Nations system. We are convinced that the humanitarian aspect of such activities will continue to be of the utmost importance and may even be strengthened. In this context, coordination with non-governmental organizations, which are playing an increasingly important role in mine clearance activities, is also essential. Finally, it is important that the affected countries themselves have a coordinated and coherent approach to mine-clearance programmes.

In November 1997, the European Union adopted a Joint Action regarding anti-personnel landmines in which it expressed its resolve to reach the target of totally eliminating anti-personnel landmines and to work actively towards the early conclusion of an effective international agreement banning these arms throughout the world. The European Union has vigorously pursued this goal. We also welcome the follow-up activity to the Ottawa International Strategy Conference, in particular at the Vienna and Bonn seminars and during the Brussels International Conference for a Total Ban on Anti-personnel Landmines.

We welcome the adoption in Oslo on September 18 of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on Their Destruction, and its opening for signature in Ottawa on 3 and 4 December 1997. The European Union will leave no stone unturned in its efforts to attain these objectives in every appropriate international forum, including the Conference on Disarmament. We also welcome the recent adoption by the General Assembly, on the recommendation of the First Committee, of three draft resolutions which will give added support to our efforts to bring about the total ban of anti-personnel mines.

The European Union gives strong support to mine clearance activities through direct involvement in programmes with afflicted countries and through assistance to bilateral initiatives, particularly those carried out under the auspices of the United Nations. Last year, the European Union decided to allocate more than ECU 40 million to mine clearance activities in 1997. Half of this amount has been contributed to the Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Clearance. The European Union and its member States are the largest contributor to the Trust Fund, providing 64 per cent of the total contributions. Furthermore, support for mine clearance activities also features strongly in the bilateral programmes of the European Union member States with afflicted countries.

The European Union welcomes the recent international initiatives on landmines which have enabled us to reach a consensus on, inter alia, ways of dealing more effectively with mine clearance activities. Given the large number of anti-personnel landmines laid down throughout the world, the problem cannot be resolved without the development and use of new specialized equipment which will considerably enhance mine clearance techniques. The European Union attaches special importance to the development and use of appropriate technologies for mine detection and clearance. We are therefore particularly encouraged by the results of the International Conference on Mine Clearance Technology held in July 1996 in Elsinore and by those of the international conference of experts in mechanical mine clearance held in Bonn last December. The work done at those two conferences was continued at the Conference on Anti-personnel Landmines held in Tokyo in March this year. The European Union will continue to support vigorously all efforts to further improve mine clearance technology.

While acknowledging the difficulty of resolving the problem, we must also acknowledge that every effort should be made to assist mine clearance activities. In recent years there has been a significant shift in the way these weapons are perceived by the international community, a shift which saw concrete expression in the widespread recognition of the need for an international agreement to ban anti-personnel landmines as soon as possible.

This year the European Union has again introduced a draft resolution under the agenda item entitled "Assistance in mine clearance", which we hope will receive broad support and be adopted by the Assembly by consensus. This would provide a clear indication of the international community's desire to deal effectively with the problem of mine clearance. Furthermore, we, for our part, are strongly committed to eliminating anti-personnel mines through a global ban and to supporting, to the greatest extent possible, efforts to mitigate the effects of the use of these mines, raise awareness and rehabilitate victims.

Anti-personnel mines remain a formidable humanitarian problem, not only because they multiply the need for humanitarian aid, but also because they place obstacles in the way of this aid, which so many need.

Mr. Fowler (Canada)

Earlier this month the international community acted decisively to hasten an end to the carnage and misery caused by anti-personnel mines. One hundred and twenty-three countries signed in Ottawa a treaty banning the production, stockpiling, transfer and use of a tool of war accurately described as a weapon of mass destruction operating in slow motion.

This clear repudiation of anti-personnel mines was achieved by an extraordinary worldwide coalition which, in the words of the United Nations Secretary-General, shamed us and enlightened us, stripped away all excuses and showed us what we can do to solve the problem. We look forward to the continued expansion of that coalition of countries and organizations, and we hope that Member States not yet able to sign the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on Their Destruction will soon be able to do so. We also welcome the fact that several Member States that cannot yet sign the treaty are already taking unilateral measures to conform with its provisions.

The humanitarian crisis caused by anti-personnel mines did not end with the meeting in Ottawa, however. As the draft resolution before us makes clear, anti-personnel mines already in the ground have a devastating humanitarian impact and a profound and lasting social and economic cost. These landmines must be cleared, and those injured by them must be assisted.

Canada has worked closely with mine-affected countries by funding mine clearance, victim assistance and mine awareness and by providing expert training in mine clearance and the management of mine clearance operations. We will continue to do so. In Ottawa, Prime Minister Jean Chretien pledged 100 million Canadian dollars over the next five years for the implementation of the global ban on anti-personnel mines and to assist countries which lack the means to implement their commitments under the Convention. These funds will contribute to expanded humanitarian assistance for landmine victims, to mine clearance and to the elimination of stockpiles of mines.

Other Governments have made similar gestures of support. Some months ago, the Norwegian Government announced its commitment of $100 million. Norway has been a vital partner in the Ottawa process, along with Austria, Belgium and South Africa. More recently, the American and Japanese Governments also announced generous contributions. We hope others will be in a position to make similar commitments.

Mr. Fowler (Canada)

Canada also hosted a Mine Action Forum in conjunction with the signing ceremony for the Convention banning anti-personnel mines, from 2 to 4 December. This fully inclusive consultative exercise was not limited to countries that could sign the treaty. Rather, it engaged all interested parties in discussion of an enhanced and coordinated response by the international community in virtually all areas related to the treaty and to mine clearance and victim assistance.

The topics discussed included the ratification, implementation and broadening of support for the treaty. Attention was also given to the development of appropriate technologies for mine clearance, the establishment of sustainable mine-action centres and the treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration of landmine victims. Work also focused both on mobilizing resources for all aspects of mine clearance and on coordinating the use of those resources to ensure the best possible results.

One broad conclusion of the Mine Action Forum was that the international community can and will do more. Immediately before and during the ceremony and Forum, countries, organizations and individuals pledged new contributions and initiatives for mine action totalling half a billion Canadian dollars. Significant non-financial contributions and initiatives were also announced.

A second conclusion, flowing from the first, was that with so many countries, multilateral agencies, private donors and non-governmental organizations announcing funding commitments and planning initiatives as a follow-on to the treaty signing, there is a clear need for coordination and collaboration in managing the whole mine-action agenda. The United Nations must play the central role in this coordination process. Canada has taken the initiative of calling a meeting in March with the objective of assisting in establishing a framework for international cooperation and coordination.

Another broad conclusion was that programmes for mine surveying, mine awareness, mine clearance or victim assistance must be country-specific if they are to be successful. There are no simple formulas that can be applied without regard to the particular circumstances confronting individual mine-affected States.

There are, however, best practices to be learned from each operation, many of which may have broad application. We welcome the fact that the United Nations has sought systematically to identify lessons learned from its mine-action programmes, and we are pleased to have provided financial support for these efforts. One lesson learned is that if they are to succeed, mine-action programmes and projects must be developed in close consultation with the donors and authorities in the field and must enjoy the political support of the authorities concerned. The Cambodian authorities' leadership of the Cambodian Mine Action Centre is a model in this regard.

To be effective, mine-action programmes must also have sound management and sufficient resources for longer-term planning and implementation. There also needs to be sustained funding over a period of years, even after humanitarian demining and victim assistance come to attract less public attention than at present. Affected States bear the primary responsibility for mine action within their borders. Any assistance the international community might provide will come to naught in the absence of close collaboration on the part of the authorities in the affected countries.

A final, broad conclusion of the Ottawa Mine Action Forum was that any approach that focuses only on technical questions of treaty implementation, mine surveying, detection and clearance risks losing sight of the people involved. Our primary goal should be to protect the people who have to live with landmines and to assist the landmine survivors, their families and their communities.

Among the countries and organizations working to reverse the scourge of anti-personnel mines, special recognition is due the United Nations. We express our gratitude to the Secretary-General for the leadership the United Nations has displayed since 1988 in setting up mine-action programmes in many of the countries most adversely affected by anti-personnel mines.

Canada actively supported the work undertaken by the Mine Clearance and Policy Unit of the Department of Humanitarian Affairs. We look forward to working closely with the Mine Action Service of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, to which the mandate of the Mine Clearance and Policy Unit has been transferred, as well as with other United Nations programmes and agencies active in this area.

We hope and trust that the Department of Peacekeeping Operations will spare no effort in undertaking its new responsibility for humanitarian demining. This is essential if progress achieved thus far is to be consolidated and expanded.

We welcome evidence we have already seen that the Department of Peacekeeping Operations will also embrace the coordination function for mine-related activities formerly undertaken by the Department of Humanitarian Affairs. Close cooperation and collaboration with donors and within the United Nations system is essential if the Organization is to provide effective leadership in mine action.

Canada has offered vigorous support for efforts both to ban the use of anti-personnel landmines and to address the horrendous damage they cause. My delegation is pleased to be a sponsor of the draft resolution before us, the objectives of which we wholeheartedly endorse and share.

Mr. Owada (Japan)

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