LM Report 2003

México

Key developments since May 2002: México has served as co-rapporteur of the Standing Committee on General Status and Operation of the Convention since September 2002.

México signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997, ratified on 9 June 1998, and the treaty entered into force on 1 March 1999. México has not enacted separate domestic implementation legislation because in most cases international agreements in México are self-executing according to Article 133 of the National Constitution.^[1]

At the Fourth Meeting of States Parties in September 2002, México was named co-rapporteur of the Standing Committee on General Status and Operation of the Convention. It actively participated in the various Standing Committee meetings in February and May 2003, and in the meetings of the Coordination Committee.

At the Fourth Meeting of States Parties, and again in a February 2003 Standing Committee meeting, México stated its strong position regarding interpretation of the treaty’s Article 1 prohibition on assistance with banned acts. It associated itself with the views expressed by Brazil that Article 1 of the treaty clearly bans joint operations with non-States Parties that may involve the use of antipersonnel mines, and also bans the transit of antipersonnel mines across the territory of States Parties. México stressed the need for States Parties to reach a common understanding on this matter.^[2]

At a May 2003 Standing Committee meeting, México reiterated its position on Article 2 and the issue of antivehicle mines with sensitive fuzes or antihandling devices, stating that such weapons are prohibited—if any mine detonates from the unintentional contact of a person, it is banned.^[3]

México submitted its annual Article 7 report on 17 March 2003, for the period from 2002 to 2003. This was the country’s fifth Article 7 report.^[4]

México has never produced, transferred, used or stockpiled antipersonnel mines, nor does it retain any mines for training purposes. México has stated that it is mine-free on numerous occasions, including in its Article 7 reports.

México continued to actively participate in the Tripartite Victim Assistance and Socio-Economic Reintegration Program in Central America providing details of its activities in 2002 and early 2003 in the voluntary Form J attachment to its Article 7 report.^[5] In April 2003, the joint program by México, Canada, and the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) for the rehabilitation of landmine survivors in Central America came to an end.^[6]

México is a State Party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW), but has not ratified its Amended Protocol II (Landmines). It participated in the Fourth Annual Conference of States Parties to Amended Protocol II in December 2002.

[1] See Landmine Monitor Report 2001, p. 353.
[2] Intervention in the Standing Committee on General Status and Operation of the Convention, Geneva, 7 February 2003 (Landmine Monitor/HRW notes).
[3] Intervention in the Standing Committee on General Status and Operation of the Convention, Geneva, 16 May 2003 (Landmine Monitor/HRW notes).
[4] See Article 7 Report, 8 April 2002 (for the period 2001-2002); Article 7 Report, 23 April 2001 (for the period 2000-2001); Article 7 Report, 7 February 2000 (for the period 1999-2000); and Article 7 Report, 24 September 1999 (for the period 1998-1999).
[5] Article 7 Report, Form J, submitted 17 March 2003.
[6] Telephone interview with Emilio Ramirez Pinto, Coordinator of the Canada-Mexico-PAHO Joint Program, 4 July 2003.