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Saudi Arabia
Mine Ban Policy
Mine ban policy overview
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Mine Ban Treaty status |
Not a State Party |
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Pro-mine ban UNGA voting record |
Absent for voting on Resolution 64/56, as in previous years |
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Participation in Mine Ban Treaty meetings |
Attended as an observer the Second Review Conference in November–December 2009 |
Policy
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has not acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty. In July 2008, Saudi Arabia told Landmine Monitor that it “is still in the process of studying” the treaty.[1] Officials have said that while it supports the humanitarian objectives of the treaty, Saudi Arabia does not want to forego its option to use antipersonnel mines in the future.[2]
Saudi Arabia also told Landmine Monitor in July 2008, “Recently the Kingdom has not produced nor exported any type of mines…. The Kingdom possesses a stockpile of old anti-personnel mines however; these mines have never been used. There are no stockpiles of American-owned anti-personnel mines inside the Kingdom.” It went on to note that it has “a number of legislations and procedures…that regulate importing, producing and storing anti-personnel mines.”[3] Landmine Monitor has reported previously that Saudi Arabia is not known to have produced, exported or used antipersonnel mines, but that it stockpiles a small number imported in the past.[4]
Saudi Arabia is party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons, but has yet to join its Amended Protocol II on landmines. It joined Protocol V on Explosive Remnants of War on 8 January 2010.
[1] Letter from Saud M. Alsati, Counselor-Political, Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Washington, DC, 9 July 2008.
[2] See, for example, Statement by Brig.-Gen. Ibrahim Bin Mohammed al Arifi, Ministry of Defense, First Review Conference, Nairobi, 3 December 2004.
[3] Letter from Saud M. Alsati, Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Washington, DC, 9 July 2008.
[4] See Landmine Monitor Report 2004, pp. 1,107–1,108.
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