LM Report 2003

Cook Islands

The Cook Islands signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997, but has still not ratified. In July 2003, the Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Immigration told Landmine Monitor that ratification legislation had been drafted and was being considered by the Parliament.^[1] The Cook Islands is not a member of the United Nations and therefore has not voted on any of the relevant UN General Assembly resolutions on landmines. The Cook Islands has never produced, transferred, stockpiled or used antipersonnel mines.^[2]

[1] Email from Mr. Edwin Pittman, Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Immigration, 16 July 2003.
[2] Interview with James Gosselin, Legal Adviser for International Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration of the Cook Islands, Wellington (New Zealand), 30 March 2001.