Armenia and Azerbaijan
engaged in conflict over the Nagorny-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan from 1988 to
1994. Nagorny-Karabakh is an autonomous region of western Azerbaijan but the
majority of the inhabitants are Armenian. As a result of the conflict, there
are an estimated 100,000 landmines in the disputed region of
Nagorny-Karabakh.[1] In
addition, some 6,000-8,000 landmines are estimated to lay along the
Armenian-Azeri border.[2]
Also, the U.S. State Department reported in 1993 that there were unknown
quantities of landmines along Armenia’s borders with Turkey and
Iran.[3]
Armenia has not signed the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty. Armenia attended the treaty
preparatory meetings, but did not endorse the pro-treaty Brussels Declaration in
June 1997 and did not attend the Oslo negotiations in September. It came to the
treaty signing conference in Ottawa in December as an observer. It voted in
favor of the pro-ban 1996, 1997, and 1998 UN General Assembly resolutions. At
the treaty signing conference the Armenian delegation stated:
“Notwithstanding its security considerations, Armenia nevertheless
believes that the human and social costs of antipersonnel landmines far outweigh
their military significance.... Armenia supports the Convention, and is ready to
take measures consistent with the provisions of the treaty.... Armenia’s
full participation in the Convention is contingent upon a similar level of
political commitment by other parties in the region to adhere to the treaty and
comply with its
regime.”[4] Armenia has
made it clear that it will not sign unless Azerbaijan agrees to do
so.[5]
Armenia is not a party to the 1980 Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW).
Armenia has expressed its belief that the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva is
the central forum for negotiating a global ban on mines, even though it is not a
member of the CD.[6]
Armenian nongovernmental organizations established the Armenian Committee of
the International Campaign to Ban Landmines in January 1999.
Armenia is not believed to be a landmine producer or exporter of
antipersonnel mines, though it has no formal restrictions on production or trade
in place. During the first stage of the conflict, in 1989-1990, Armenians
widely used homemade mines. Subsequently, Armenians apparently acquired Soviet
antipersonnel mines, possibly as a result of the 15 May 1992 Tashkent agreement
under which Russia transferred weapons to the former Soviet republics.
Armenia is not known to have contributed to international mine action
programs. Armenia inherited Soviet equipment which could be used for mine
clearance.[7] In 1994, the U.S.
State Department indicated that there were approximately five to ten casualties
per year in Armenia due to
landmines.[8] Armenia received
a total of $1.15 million in 1993 and 1994 through the U.S. Leahy War Victims
Fund for the provision of prosthetics to
amputees.[9] A prosthetic
workshop had already been put in place in Armenia after the 1989 earthquake. It
is estimated that between 300-500 people per year since 1989 received a
prosthetic, about half of whom had suffered war related
injuries.[10]
[1] U.S. Department of State,
Hidden Killers, September 1998, p. A1.
[2] Felix Corley,
“Landmine Use Now Set to Continue,” Jane’s Intelligence
Review - Pointer, Vol. 5, No. 1, 1 January 1998, p. 2.
[3] U.S. Department of State,
Hidden Killers, July 1993, p. 48.
[4] Statement by the Armenian
Delegation at the Treaty Signing Conference and Mine Action Forum, Ottawa, 4
December 1997.
[5] Felix Corley,
“Landmine Use Now Set to Continue,” Jane’s Intelligence
Review - Pointer, Vol. 5, No. 1, 1 January 1998, p. 2. See also:
“Armenia Reluctant to Ban Landmines,” RFE/RL Newsline, 18
November 1997.