LM Report 2003

Romania

Key developments since May 2002: Romania destroyed 486,000 antipersonnel mines from April 2002 to April 2003. Romania has served as co-chair of the Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction since September 2002. In February 2003, Romania became Chair of the Reay Group on Mine Action. Government Decision 1326 was published on 4 December 2002, establishing an Interdepartmental Working Group to coordinate implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty.

Mine Ban Policy

Romania signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997 and ratified it on 30 November 2000, becoming a State Party on 1 May 2001. Government Decision 1326 on implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty was published on 4 December 2002.^[1] This designates responsibilities for the ministries involved and establishes an Interdepartmental Working Group to coordinate implementation of the treaty.^[2] Article 289 of the existing criminal law purportedly covers penal sanctions for violation of treaty prohibitions.^[3]

Romania attended the Fourth Meeting of States Parties in September 2002, where it became co-chair of the Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction. As co-chair, along with Switzerland, Romania worked extensively and effectively to encourage States Parties to meet their four-year stockpile destruction deadlines, the first of which occurred in March 2003. Romania participated in the various Standing Committee meetings in February and May 2003. In February, the Romanian delegation presented a report on its treaty implementation, including progress with stockpile destruction.

Romania’s annual Article 7 report was submitted to the UN in April 2003, for the period 8 April 2002 to 8 April 2003. This includes voluntary Form J, which provides additional details on the stockpile destruction program. The report states that all production facilities have been converted or decommissioned.^[4] Romania ceased production of antipersonnel mines and imposed an export moratorium in 1995. Two previous Article 7 reports have been submitted.^[5]

In November 2002, Romania voted in favor of UN General Assembly Resolution 57/74, which calls for universalization and implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty.

Romania has not yet ratified Amended Protocol II of the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW). The Interdepartmental Working Group stated in March 2003 that it expected ratification of Amended Protocol II to be achieved by the end of 2003.^[6] Romania attended, as an observer, the Fourth Annual Conference of States Parties to the Protocol on 11 December 2002.

In February 2003, Romania became Chair of the Reay Group on Mine Action (part of the Stability Pact for South East Europe).

The NGO Sibienii Pacifisti (People of Sibiu for Peace) organized monthly information seminars on landmines and issued appeals published in national media that mines should not be used in the conflict in Iraq. It also called on the government to obtain assurances from the US that any military equipment transferred through Romania would not include antipersonnel landmines. This appeal was published in a daily newspaper.^[7]

Stockpile Destruction

Romania’s stockpile of antipersonnel mines totaled 1,076,839. The stockpile destruction program began on 31 August 2001, four months after Romania became a State Party. At the Standing Committee meetings in May 2003, the Romanian delegation confirmed that the target date for completion of the program remains March 2004, more than a year in advance of the deadline set by the Mine Ban Treaty (1 May 2005).^[8]

Romania destroyed 486,300 antipersonnel mines from April 2002 to April 2003, leaving 302,146 to be destroyed. In February 2003, Romania announced that destruction of stocks of three types of mines (MAI-2, MAI-6, MAI-68) had been completed.^[9] However, the April 2003 Article 7 report indicated that small quantities of the three types of mines (totaling 1,965) remained in stock, to be destroyed later. In 2002, equipment was donated by Canada and Norway to assist in the stockpile destruction program.^[10]

Stockpiles and stockpile destruction to 8 April 2003[11]

Types	MAI-2	MAI-6	MAI-68	MAI-75	MSS	TOTAL
Stockpile Aug. 2001	114,737	115,988	135,343	668,111	42,660	1,076,839
Destroyed as of 8 April 2002	47,685	31,231	18,746	44,048	16,659	130,474
Destroyed as of 8 April 2003	67,007	84,137	115,297	324,871	25,462	616,774
Remaining as of 8 April 2003	45	620	1,300	299,192	989	302,146

Romania’s progress with stockpile destruction has been reported regularly at the Standing Committees and in national media.^[12] The Interdepartmental Working Group has confirmed that NGOs will be invited to attend stockpile destruction events.^[13]

Romania is retaining 4,000 antipersonnel mines for purposes permitted by Article 3 of the Mine Ban Treaty Article 3, including 3,000 MAI-75, 400 MAI-68, 200 MAI-6, 200 MAI-2, and 200 MSS.^[14] The purposes for which these mines have been and will be used have not been reported.

Mine Action and Landmine Casualties

Romania made no financial contributions to mine action in other countries during 2002, and none is planned in 2003.^[15] Romania participates in the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. In April 2003, Romanian peacekeepers discovered a large cache of weapons, including 30 antitank mines, in Zabul province.^[16]

On 7 October 2002, two Romanian soldiers working with the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan were wounded when their vehicle struck an antipersonnel mine near Kandahar.^[17]

[1] Decision No. 1326 “concerning the measures to be taken for the application of the Convention’s stipulations as regards the ban of the use, stockpiling, manufacturing and transfer of landmines and their destruction voted in Oslo, Norway, on September 18th, 1997,” 27 November 2002, Official Gazette, Part I, No. 874, 4 December 2002.
[2] “Implementation Update,” presentation to the Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 6 February 2003. It is also called the Joint Working Group. The working group includes representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defense, Interior, and Industry and Resources.
[3] Letter from Col. Marin Radu, President, Interdepartmental Working Group, 31 March 2003.
[4] Article 7 Report, Form E, April 2003. (day not stated).
[5] Article 7 Report, 18 April 2002 (for the period 2 October 2001-8 April 2002); Article 7 Report, 27 January 2002 (for the period 1 May-1 October 2001).
[6] Letter from Col. Marin Radu, President, Interdepartmental Working Group, 31 March 2003.
[7] Open Letter to the Parliament, Presidency and Government, 26 February 2003; Tribuna (daily newspaper), 8 March 2003.
[8] Intervention by Romania, Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 15 May 2003 (Notes by Landmine Monitor).
[9] Presentation to the Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, 6 February 2003.
[10] Presentation to the Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, 6 February 2003; Article 7 Report, Forms B and J, April 2003.
[11] Article 7 Report, Forms B and G, April 2003.
[12] See for example, Ilie Zavragiu, “General Survey,” Observator Militar (military periodical), No. 39, September 2002, p. 2; “Romania Goes on with the Process of Stockpile Destruction,” Ziua (daily newspaper), 8 October 2002.
[13] Letter from Col. Marin Radu, President, Interdepartmental Working Group, 31 March 2003.
[14] Article 7 Report, Form D, April 2003.
[15] Letter from Col. Marin Radu, President, Interdepartmental Working Group, 31 March 2003.
[16] “Huge Arms Haul in Afghanistan,” Guardian (UK daily newspaper), 19 April 2003.
[17] “Romanian Troops Hurt by Landmine in Afghanistan,” Reuters, 7 October 2002.