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Country:
Monaco
Date Received: 27 Jul 1999
Mission Permanente
De La Principauté de Monaco
Auprés de Nations Unies
Reference 99/793
Le Représentant permanent adjoint
New York, July 27 1999
Dear Madam,
I have the honour to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of your report along with its executive summary on landmine.
As a donour country for the Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Action, my delegation welcomes this comprehensive report and looks forward to another study by the Landmine monitor on this serious and delicate topic.
Please accept, Madame, the assurance of my highest consideration.
Chargé d'affaires, a.i.
Isabelle Picco
Mrs. Mary Wareham
Senior Advocate, Arms Division
Human Rights Watch
Country:
Namibia
Date Received: 22 Jul 2001
PERMANENT MISSION OF THE REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS
135 East 36th Street
New York, NY 10016
Telephone: (212) 685-2003
Facsimile: (212) 685-1561
23 July 2001
Dear Ms. Wareham,
I have the honour to refer to your letter dated 25 May 2001, addressed to Hon. Dr. Theo-Ben Gouriab, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Namibia.
In the said letter, you have indicated that the third annual report of Landmine Monitor - "Landmine Monitor Report 2001: Towards a Mine-Free World," may identify Namibia as "a Government that is alleged to have used or assisted in the use of anti-personnel landmines". In this regard, the Government of the Republic of Namibia wishes to respond as follows:
a) Namibia signed the Convention on the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction, (The Convention) on 3 December 1997 and subsequently ratified it on 21 July 1998.
b) Since the ratification of the said Convention, the Namibian Defence Forces has never used anti-personnel mines or assisted any other forces in the use thereof, both in its internal and international military operations.
c) Subsequent to the ratification of the Convention in July 1998, the Namibian Government completed the destruction of all APMs except those retained for training purposes, as permitted by the Convention.
d) The commitment of the Namibian Government to the enforcement of, and compliance with the provisions of the Convention, in particular ARTICLE 1 thereof, is further illustrated by the fact that the Government has destroyed all APMs Namibian forces have captured from UNITA arms depots during military operations along Namibia's border with Angola. The media were also invited to witness such destruction earlier this year.
The Government of the Republic of Namibia, therefore, for the reasons stated above, denies any use or assistance to use anti-personnel mines by its forces. Such an allegation would thus lack any factual basis.
I trust that the above information would be duly considered in the preparation of your report.
Yours Sincerely,
(Signed) Gerhard Theron
Charge d'Affaires, a.i.
Ms. Mary Wareham
Coordinator, Landmine Monitor
c/o Human Rights Watch
1630 Connecticut Ave NW #500
Washington, DC 20009, USA
Fax: 202-612-4333
Country:
Pakistan
Date Received: 26 Jul 2000
EMBASSY OF PAKISTAN
2315 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE. N.W.
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20008
From : Sohail Mahmood
First Secretary
No. Pol-1/2/2000 July 26, 2000
Dear Mr. Goose,
I have the pleasure of enclosing a closed cover containing a letter addressed to you by Mr. Shahbaz, Director General (Disarmament), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad. This is in response to your letter of 26th June 2000, addressed to Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar regarding the
Yours Sincerely,
Signed Sohail Mahmood
Government of Pakistan
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Islamabad
NO. Dsmt-1/11/00
12 July 2000
Subject:
My dear Program Director,
Please refer to your letter dated 29 June 2000 addressed to the Foreign Minister of Pakistan on the above subject.
We offer the following comments:
- Pakistan is party to the Amended Protocol 11 on Mines, Booby-Traps and other Devices of the Certain Conventional Weapons Convention, and is fully abiding by its provisions. We believe that universal adherence to the Protocol will greatly help in saving innocent civilians from the scourge of landmines.
- Pakistan's record with respect to the regulated use of landmines is second to none. This fact has been duly appreciated by the ICRC in its publication, "APLs -Friend or Foe". It is for this reason, landmine civilian casualties in Pakistan are almost non-existent, a fact duly acknowledged by the ICRC.
- Pakistan fully subscribes to the goal of eventual elimination of landmines. Nevertheless, our peculiar defence situation, like that of so many other countries of the world, does not permit us to join the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti- Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction, unless a viable alternative to landmines for defence purposes is available. We are, however, not insensitive to humanitarian concerns in this regard.
- Consistent with its humanitarian approach, Pakistan declared a unilateral moratorium on the export of APLs in March 1997. This moratorium was reinforced by the issuance of an appropriate notification by the Government of Pakistan on 25 February 1999 under the Import and Export ( Control ) Act, 1950, completely banning the export of A-PLS. Pakistan is also favourably inclined towards negotiating an international legal instrument against the transfer of APLs at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.
- Pakistan has effectively participated in UN sponsored de-mining operations in Afghanistan, Kuwait, Cambodia and Angola. The international community will always find Pakistan in the fore-front of efforts for de-mining and rehabilitation-of landmines survivors.
I hope that our principled position on APLS, based on our genuine defence requirements and humanitarian concerns, will be adequately reflected in the upcoming report of Landmine Monitor.
Appreciating your cooperation, I remain
Yours sincerely,
(Signed) Shahbaz
Director General (Disarmament)
Country:
Pakistan
Date Received: 04 Nov 2003
EMBASSY OF PAKISTAN
3517 International Court, N.W.
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20008
Tel: (202) 243-6500
No. Pol-1/12/2003
July 7, 2003
Ms. Wareham,
Kindly refer to your letter of June 6, 2003, addressed to Mian Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, Foreign Minister of Pakistan, regarding the forthcoming Landmine Monitor Report 2003.
I am enclosing herewith a copy of letter No. Dsmt- 1/9/03, dated 15 July 2003 addressed to you by Mr. Arif Ayub, Director General (UN & Disarmament), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad which is in response to your letter.
Regards,
(Syed Zulfiqar Gardezi) First Secretary (111)
Ms. Mary Wareham,
Global Research Coordinator,
Landmine Monitor,
C/o Human Rights Watch,
1630 Connecticut Avenue, NW, # 500,
Washington, DC, 20009
Fax: (202)-6124333
Country:
Pakistan
Date Received: 04 Nov 2003
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN
AFFAIRS ISLAMABAD
15 July 2003
No.Dsmt- 1/9/03
Dear Ms. Wareham
Thank you for your letter of 6 June 2003 addressed to the Foreign Minister regarding the forthcoming Landmines Monitor Report.
The massive military escalation and troops deployment by India along our borders last year obliged Pakistan to take measures for self-defence.
All defensive minefields have either been cleared or in the process of being completely demined. Please note that all measures were taken strictly in accordance with our commitments and in line with our national legal obligations precluding any problems for civilian population.
Our record of mine clearance, therefore, remains unblemished,
Yours sincerely,
(Arif Ayub)
Director General (UN & Disarmarnent)
Ms. Mary Wareham,
Global Research Coordinator,
Landmine Monitor,
C/o Human Rights Watch,
1630 Connecticut Ave NW # 500,
Washington D.C., 20009, U.S.A.,
Fax No. 1 (202) 6124333.
Country:
Qatar
Date Received: 09 Sep 1999
Embassy of the
STATE OF QATAR
Washington, DC
The Landmine Monitor Core Group September 9, 1999
1630 Connecticut Ave., NW, #500 Ref.: 246/9/99
Washington, D.C. 20009
MS. Mary Wareham
Senior Advocate, Arms Division
Human Rights Watch
Dear Madam,
It was my pleasure to receive your letter dated July 21st, 1999 and the enclosed Landmine Monitor Report 1999. I heartily congratulate you on the able manner in which you handled your humanitarian undertaking.
I would also like to avail myself of the kind offer you made in the last paragraph of your letter where you welcomed comment, correction or clarification, to draw attention to the following:
- The State of Qatar has contributed $ 200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand US dollars) to the International Fund for the Removal of Landmines and assisting their Victims in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
- That the State of Qatar had ratified the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty, formally known as the 1997 Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction. By virtue of that ratification the provisions of the Convention have become part and parcel of the national laws of the State of Qatar.
I would appreciate very much the posting of this information to your web-site and its inclusion in the next report of Landmine Monitor.
Yours sincerely,
Saad Mohamed Al-Kobaisi
Ambassador
Country:
Romania
Date Received: 13 Sep 2000
SECOND MEETING OF THE STATES PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION ONTHE PROHIBITION OF THE USE, STOCKPILING, PRODUCTION ANDTRANSFER OF ANTI-PERSONNEL MINES AND ON THEIR DESTRUCTION,
GENEVA, 11-15 SEPTEMBER 2000
STATEMENT BY
H.E. MRS. ANDA-CRISTINA FILIP
AMBASSADOR
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF ROMANIA HEAD OF DELEGATION
Mr. President,
At the outset, allow me to congratulate you on your election in the important office of President of the Second Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction. I am confident that the meeting will successfully accomplish its challenging agenda under your able leadership and extensive experience. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the delegations participating to this meeting for their impressive efforts and political willingness that allowed the steady entry into force of the Convention. I commend also the huge work displayed by ICBL and other NGOs for preparing the edition of the Landmine Monitor Report 2000. In this spirit and for the sake of enhanced accuracy and up dating I will also briefly comment on some of the elements reported therein.
Mr. President,
Romania, along with other responsible members of the international community fully shares the common concerns on the humanitarian social and economic consequences caused every day by the scrourge of the APLs in several countries of the world. These are the main reasons for which Romania is committed to strongly supporting the efforts of the international community, with the goal of eradicating the plague of anti-personnel landmines and its indiscriminate effects on civilian persons, years after their use in armed hostilities. The same reasons determined Romania�s unbiased option to sign the Ottawa Convention and to extend its share of contribution to the process of full and effective implementation of this instrument.
Along with the other EU accession states, my delegation has aligned itself to the statement made on behalf of the European Union and fully shares the views and objectives expressed in the statement delivered to this meeting by the distinguished head of the delegation of France.
Nevertheless, allow me, Mr. President, to underline some elements regarding the firm and consistent Romania has been giving to the adoption of measures regarding the restriction of use, non-proliferation and finally, total elimination of APLs.
My country signed, on April 8, 1982, the "Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the use of Certain Conventional Weapons that may be Deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to have Indiscriminate Effects", and ratified it on January 26, 1996. Romania also supported the amendment of Protocol II of the Convention, at the Conference of State Parties held in April 1996. Romania participated actively at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, in the debates aimed at elaborating an international agreement for banning APLs exports.
The Romanian contribution to the eradication of the APLs plague and its indiscriminate effects was also accomplished through enforcement of important internal unilateral measures. The national production of APLs ended in 1990 and on the July 1, 1995, Romania adopted a unilateral moratorium on exports of APL, extended by successive Decisions of the Government. The current moratorium is due to be in force until November 25, 2000, not September 15, 2000, as reported in Landmine Monitor Report 2000. The relevant Romanian authorities have initiated the procedures for a new Government Decision providing for a further three years extension of the moratorium.
Romania ranks also among the states that signed the Ottawa Convention on December 3, 1997, when the instrument was open for signature.
As a signatory country of the Ottawa Convention we pay a particular attention to the work and the recommendations of the Standing Committee of Experts and greatly appreciate the dedication shown in pursuing the goal of achieving , as soon as possible, concrete results in the outgoing process against APLs.
Mr. President,
With reference to the current stage of ratification of the Ottawa Convention by Romania, I have the honor to inform you and the delegations to this meeting that important steps of the internal procedure have already been accomplished. The draft of the ratification law was elaborated by the relevant Romanian institutions, adopted by the Government and has been forwarded to the Parliament for ratification.
Taken into consideration the political significance my authorities are attaching to the issue of APLs, there are good perspectives for Romania to participate as a State Party to the next Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction.
Mr. President,
Romania as like many other members of the international community was and will remain involved in the field of the demining activities and medical assistance to mine victims.
Romania deployed engineering troops for demining activities in the framework of several peacekeeping missions carried on in Albania, Angola and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Humanitarian medical assistance to mine victims was given in the Romanian field hospital units deployed with the UN mandated missions in Angola, Somalia and Kuwait.
Mr. President,
Romania has joined the new international standards concerning APLs set-up by the provisions of the Ottawa Convention being aware of the financial implications stemming from the process of national implementation, as well as of the possible effects on national security, given the fact that, for the time being, Romania is a participant only in arrangements of collective security. This is yet another proof of the genuine commitment of my country to the process of total elimination of APLs and the political willingness to enhance Romania�s contribution as a stability factor and security provider at regional and global levels.
Mr. President,
My authorities are confident that the commitment to destroy the national APLs stockpile, in compliance with the relevant provisions of Article 4 of the Convention will be met. The current holdings of APLs are reasonable and stored under strict control of legally authorized institutions. In this respect, the estimation reported in the Landmine Monitor 1999 and 2000 concerning possession of a stockpile of ��several millions of APLs�� is imprecise and does not reflect the present state of fact. Upon entry into force of the Ottawa Convention for Romania, the exact number will be reported in compliance with the relevant provision of Article 7 and will be available for public information.
Romania is not a mine-affected country and thus priority will be given to the destruction of the APLs stockpile. Deep consideration is given also to the possibility of accelerating this process and � to this end � the Romanian authorities are considering to make full use of the relevant provisions of Article 6 concerning international cooperation and assistance. Any kind of offer of this respect, including financial support, will be studied with due consideration.
Mr. President,
Before concluding I would like to warmly welcome the offer made by Nicaragua to host the Third Meeting of the States Parties and to express the support for recommendations put forward by the Standing Committees of Experts. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Swiss authorities and the authorities of the Canton and the City of Geneva for the excellent organization and conditions provided for this meeting.
Thank you, Mr. President.
Country:
Russia
Date Received: 16 Aug 2001
Response to Landmine Monitor by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russian Federation. Sent by Faxed to Landmine Monitor Coordinator by Vassily V. Boriak, Counsellor, Embassy of the Russian Federation to the United States, 16 August 2001. Original in Russian, translated by Global Communications, LLC, Washington DC.
From May 2000 to date the Russian Federation has employed anti-personnel mines (hereinafter "APMs") in the Chechen Republic and on the Tajik-Afghan border but APMs have not been emplaced in Abkhasia (Georgia).
Mine barriers have been laid to blockade specific base areas used by [rebel] units and to close movement routes and convoy paths across the state border, using fragmentation-action anti-personnel mines with self-destruction mechanisms and control options that comply with requirements in the supplemented Protocol II to the 1980 Convention on 'inhumane' weaponry. Emplacement of mines in those areas is necessitated by the complexity of the situation in the North Caucasus and the Tajik-Afghan border, the severe deterioration of that situation and the rise of extremism and terrorism, particularly in the summertime.
An analysis of the strategic situation in areas where APMs are used shows that, given that sectors of the state border are located in complex physical and geographical conditions that render it impossible to technically equip them adequately and, in many cases, to equip them at all, the use of APMs is the only course of action and that it reduces attacks by fighter groups by 7-8 times and saves the lives of many Russian soldiers and officers.
In the course of its service and military action in these areas (the border is in total more than 2800 km long), the Border Service of the Russian Federation has intercepted 176 armed attempts to breach the border by fighter groups, contrabandists, drug-smugglers and parties illegally crossing the border, 223 items of small arms, more than 47,000 items of various types of ammunition and more than 3000 kg of narcotics.
Mines are emplaced primarily on sectors of the border where difficult physical and geographical conditions do not permit other forces or methods to be employed effectively, where there are virtually no local inhabitants and to protect and guard positions and places where border divisions are stationed.
Mines are emplaced in observance of requirements to prohibit or restrict the use of anti-personnel mines, booby-traps and other devices as set forth in the supplemented 'mine' Protocol II, with the exception of requirements in point 2a of Article 5 Restrictions on the use of anti-personnel mines other than remotely-delivered mines in that part relating to perimeter-marked areas: anti-personnel mines are marked and fenced along the entire perimeter of the area except the part of the perimeter on the side of the state border.
In light of the above it would not be in the interests of stable border protection in emergency areas for Russia to sign the Ottawa Convention at this stage and it is therefore not possible for it to do so.
Country:
Senegal
Date Received: 05 May 1999
STATEMENT MADE BY THE SENEGALESE DELEGATION FOLLWING SOME ALLEGATIONS CONTAINED IN THE 1999 REPORT OF I.C.B.L.
(FIRST MEETING OF STATES PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION ON A.P. LANDMINES)
Nonofficial translation
THE SENEGALESE DELEGATION WAS ASTONISHED TO COME ACROSS ALLEGATIONS CONTAINED IN THE REPORT CIRCULATED BY I.C.B.L. AND WHICH READS: "IT APPEARS CERTAIN THAT SENEGALESE FORCES USED MINES IN GUINEA BISSAU IN 1998 WHILE SUPPORTING THE GOVERNMENTAL TROOPS".
THESE SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS WERE REPEATED BY THE I.C.B.L. COORDINATOR IN HIS ADDRESS TO THE GENERAL DEBATE WHEN HE ALLEGED THAT: " IT IS LIKELY THAT SENEGALESE ARMY USED LAND MINES IN GUINEA BISSAU IN 1998 IN SUPPORT OF GOVERNMENTAL TROOPS"
THE SENEGALESE DELEGATION WAS MORE SO ASTONISHED BECAUSE AT NO TIME DURING THE OTTAWA PROCESS, THAT ALLOWED FRUITFUL PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN STATES AND N.G.Os, DID I.C.B.L. OFFICIALLY NOTIFY THE SENEGALESE GOVERNMENT OF ANY ACTION UNDERTAKEN BY THE LATTER AND WHICH RAN CONTRARY TO THE SPIRIT AND THE LETTER OF THE CONVERNTION ON LAND MINES.
GOING BY LOGIC, THE NEED FOR TRANSPARENCY, THE SPIRIT OF CONSTRUCTIVE PARTNERSHIP AND, HENCE, THE CREDIBILITY THAT PREVAILED THROUGHOUT THE OTTAWA PROCESS, ANY DOCUMENT PRODUCED WITHIN THAT FRAMEWORK, EVEN FOR THE PURPOSE OF SENSITIZING, MUST CONTAIN ONLY RELIABLE INFORMATION, THAT IS CHECKED AND CROSSCHECKED ESPECIALLY AT THE LEVEL OF ALL PARTIES CONCERNED, INCLUDING ACCUSED STATES.
IN THAT RESPECT, THE SENEGALESE DELEGATION CATEGORICALLY REJECTS THE ALLEGATIONS CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE MENTIONED REPORT AND SPEECH FROM I.C.B.L.
INDEED, AS EARLIER POINTED OUR IN ITS ADDRESS TO THE GENERAL DEBATE ON TUESDAY MAY 4TH 1999, THE SENEGALESE DELEGATION SOLEMNLY REAFFIRMS THE FOLLOWING:
"SENEGAL DOES NOT PRODUCE, DOES NOT BUY, DOES NOT SELL, DOES NOT STOCKPILE LANDMINES, HENCE, THE STRONG COMDEMNATION AND BANNING BY THE SENEGALESE AUTHORITIES OF ANY TRANSFER AND USE OF LAND MINES.
THE FIRST LAND MINES ENCOUNTERED IN SENEGAL HAD BEEN LAID ALONG ITS SOUTHERN BORDER BY THE FORMER COLONIAL POWER OF A NEIGHBOURING COUNTRY, IN THE SEVENTIES AND LATER BY AN ARMED SEPARATIST REBELLION, IN THE NINETIES
SINCE THEN, IT HAS BEEN SENEGALS CONCERN TO SEE TO IT THAT ITS TERRITORY IS FREE OF SUCH BLIND KILLERS AND ITS POPULATION RELIEVED FROM THE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLIGICAL PAINS CAUSED TO THEM BY THOSE ARMS.
THAT HAS BEEN THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND SENGALS LONG TIME COMMITMENT TO THE JINTERNATIONAL STRUGGLE AGAINST LAND MINES.
AVAILING ITSELF OF THE CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE AND PRODUCTIVE PARTNER SHIP BETWEEN STATES AND N.G.Os THAT HAVE SO FAR CARACTERIZED THE OTTAWA PROCESS, THE SENEGALESE DELEGATION TOOK THE INITITIVE TO HAVE AN HOUR LONG WORKING MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF I.C.B.L. AND TO SUPPLY THEM WITH FACTUAL INFORMATION TO BE ADDED TO THEIR DATABASE FOR FURTURE UPDATING FOR THE PART OF THEIR REPORT CONCERNING SENEGAL.
MOREOVER, THE SENEGALESE DELEGAION AND THE REPRESENTATIVES OF I.C.B.L. HAVE AGREED IN PRINCIPLE TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THE CONCRETISATION OF THE PROPOSAL MADE BY SENEGAL AIMED AT HOLDING SENSITIZING SEMINARS AND TRAINING WORKSHOPS IN THE WEST AFRICAN SUB REGION FOR A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND AN EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTAION OF THE CONVENTION FOR THE BANNING OF LANDMINES
IT IS WORTH REMINDING, THAT IN 1996, "HANDICAP INTERNATIONAL", A MEMBER OF I.C.B.L., DID ORGANISE IN DAKAR, THE CAPITAL CITY OF SENEGAL, A SIMILAR SEMINAR FOR MEDIA PEOPLE AND CIVIL SOCIETY.
MAPUTO MAY 5TH 1999
Non official translation
Country:
Singapore
Date Received: 15 Jul 2001
AMBASSADOR OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE
3501 International Place NW
Washington, DC 20008
Tel. (202) 537-3100
Fax: (202) 537-0876
July 16, 2001
Ms. Mary Wareham
Co-ordinator, Landmine Monitor
c/o Human Rights Watch
1630 Connecticut Ave. NW #500
Washington, DC 20009, USA
Fax: (202) 612-4333
Dear Ms. Wareham
Third Annual Report of the Landmine Monitor
I refer to your letter dated 25 May 2001 informing us that the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) is preparing its 3rd Annual Landmine Monitor Report.
We do not condone the indiscriminate use of APL's, especially against civilians. However, we believe that the legitimate security concerns and right of self-defence of states cannot be disregarded.
ST Kinetics is the only company in Singapore that produces APLs. The APLs produced are meant solely for use by our armed forces for self-defence purposes only. ST Kinetics does not export APLs as Singapore had, since Feb 1998, declared an indefinite moratorium on the export of all types of APLs.
We hope our inputs would be of assistance to you in putting together the 2001 Landmine Monitor Report.
Yours sincerely,
(Signed) Chan Heng Chee
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