Morocco
has not acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty. It was one of twenty countries to
abstain on the vote on UN General Assembly Resolution 54/54 B in support of the
Mine Ban Treaty in December 1999. Morocco explained its abstention by saying
that “it could not become a signatory for the time being, due to security
issues in its southern
province.”[1]
Morocco was one of just twelve non-signatories that attended (as an observer)
the First Meeting of States Parties (FMSP) to the Mine Ban Treaty in Maputo in
May 1999. At the FMSP, a Moroccan representative stated that he did not
entirely agree with having Morocco included among the “bad
countries.”[2] In a
statement to the plenary, the Moroccan representative said, “My country is
only deferring signature of the convention, and this is due to the conditions
linked to the security of our southern provinces and to the achievement of our
territorial integrity.... We should also be precise that this circumstantial
situation will disappear on its own when the integrity of my country will not
any more be the object of threats or controversies.... We hope that this
situation will resolve in the future
months.”[3] Similarly, in
a response to a Landmine Monitor questionnaire, Morocco stated that it would
accede to the treaty when conditions are
right.[4]
Morocco has sent representatives from its permanent mission based in Geneva
to nearly all meetings of the Intersessional Standing Committees of Experts.
Morocco is not a party to either the original or revised landmine protocols
of the Convention on Conventional Weapons, but Morocco attended, as an
observer, the December 1999 First Conference of States Parties to Amended
Protocol II. According to Morocco’s UN Ambassador in Geneva, in May 2000
the Moroccan parliament approved Amended Protocol II, and ratification should
occur soon; the necessary documents are being processed in
Rabat.[5]
Morocco is a member of the Conference on Disarmament (CD). In its response
to the Landmine Monitor questionnaire, Morocco said it encourages introduction
of the mine issue in the CD, and believes this is the best forum to insure the
widest ban on mine transfers. However, in an interview, a Moroccan diplomat has
said that it is not necessary to rush to the disarmament conference on a mine
transfer ban in order to assuage the conscience of those who do not wish to sign
the Mine Ban Treaty.[6]
Production, Stockpiling, Transfer, Use
Morocco is not known to have ever produced or
exported AP mines. Morocco has recently stated that it does not import or
export antipersonnel mines.[7]
According to an arms monitoring group in France, Morocco has not imported any AP
mines since 1978.[8] The size
and composition of Morocco’s current AP mine stockpile is not known but is
considered by Moroccan officials as highly
sensitive.[9] There is no new
information regarding the use on antipersonnel mines by Morocco in the past
year.
Landmine Problem and Mine Action
Morocco is not considered to be mine-affected
except for the territory it controls in Western Sahara. The situation in the
Western Sahara is covered in a separate Landmine Monitor entry; see also
Landmine Monitor 1999 for details on the mine problem in Morocco and
Western Sahara.
The Moroccan Army possesses a mine clearance capability and has conducted
some clearance operations in Western Sahara. The Moroccan military has signed
an accord with the UN Mission for a Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) for
mine clearance in Moroccan
zones.[10] According to a
MINURSO officer, roughly 60% of the Moroccan-controlled area has been cleared,
and about 20% of the Polisario-controlled
area.[11]
The most recent report of the UN Secretary General states that “during
the period of 13 May 2000 to 3 July 2000, 278 mines and unexploded ordnance were
marked and 124 destroyed on the Moroccan side while 488 were marked and 177
destroyed on the Frente Polisario
side.”[12] Between 6
December and 22 May 2000, both sides in cooperation with MINURSO conducted
twenty-eight disposal operations for UXO and
ammunition.[13] These operations
have not been carried out without danger, as eleven soldiers in the
international MINURSO contingent have died in mine or UXO incidents over the
course of its presence in the
area.[14]
Morocco states that to its knowledge there are no Moroccan civilian mine
victims.[15]
[1] Statement by Moroccan Representative to
the UN First Committee, Press Release GA/DIS/3162, 8 November
1999. [2] Interview with Mr. Omar
Zniber, Head, United Nations Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
Cooperation, Maputo, March 1999. [3]
Statement by Moroccan Representative to the FMSP, Maputo, 3-7 May 1999.
Unofficial translation by Landmine
Monitor. [4] Response to Landmine
Monitor questionnaire by Ambassador Nacer Benjelloun-Touimi, Permanent
Representative of Morocco in Geneva, received by facsimile, 23 June
2000. [5] Meeting with Ambassador Nacer
Benjelloun-Touimi, Geneva, 31 May
2000. [6]
Ibid. [7] Response to Landmine Monitor
questionnaire, 23 June 2000; Statement to the FMSP, Maputo, 3-7 May
1999. [8] See Landmine Monitor Report
1999 for more on past imports. [9]
Interview with Ambassador Nacer Benjelloun-Touimi, , Geneva, 31 May
2000. [10] Response to Landmine Monitor
questionnaire, 23 June 2000. [11]
Interviews with MINURSO officers, Laayoune, 20-21 June
2000. [12] “Report of the
Secretary-General on the Situation Concerning Western Sahara,” S/2000/683,
12 July 2000, pp. 3-4. [13] Ibid., p. 3;
“Report of the Secretary-General on the Situation Concerning Western
Sahara,” S/2000/131, 17 February 2000, p.
3. [14] Interviews with MINURSO
officers, Laayoune, 20-21 June
2000. [15] Response to Landmine Monitor
questionnaire, 23 June 2000.
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