Key developments since May 2002: In 2002,
Slovak forces conducted demining in Afghanistan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Kosovo.
In May 2002, Slovakia donated a Bozena demining machine to the International
Trust Fund for use in Croatia.
Mine Ban Policy
The Slovak Republic signed the Mine Ban Treaty on
3 December 1997 and ratified it on 25 February 1999, becoming a State Party on 1
August 1999. The government regards implementation legislation as unnecessary
and states that existing penal codes cover violations of the
treaty.[1]
Slovakia has never had antipersonnel mine production facilities and it banned
transfer of antipersonnel mines in 1994. Destruction of the inherited stockpile
of 187,060 antipersonnel mines was completed on 31 August 2000. The Ministry of
Foreign Affairs stated in March 2003 that it has never possessed Claymore-type
directional fragmentation
mines.[2]
Slovakia participated in the Fourth Meeting of States Parties in September
2002. Its delegation described the Mine Ban Treaty as “a cornerstone of
our common struggle for eradication of the scourge of antipersonnel mines....
The First Review Conference in 2004 provides a good opportunity to speed up and
consolidate our efforts in developing a peaceful, mine-free
world.”[3] Slovakia also
attended the Standing Committee meetings in February and May 2003.
On the issue of joint military operations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
stated in March 2003 that Slovakia “is fully aware of its obligations
under the Ottawa Convention, including those under Article 1. This applies also
to a case of Slovak Armed Forces participation in joint military operation with
non States Parties to the Ottawa
Convention.”[4]
The annual report required by Article 7 of the treaty was submitted on 1
April 2003 for calendar year 2002, and Slovakia used voluntary Form J to report
on mine action activities.[5]
In November 2002, Slovakia voted in favor of UN General Assembly Resolution
57/74, which calls for universalization and implementation of the Mine Ban
Treaty.
Slovakia is a party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons and its Amended
Protocol II, and submitted the annual report required by Article 13 of the
Protocol on 18 October 2002. It attended the Fourth Annual Conference of States
Parties to the Protocol in December 2002.
Mines Retained under Article 3
Slovakia initially retained 1,500 mines (1,000 PP-Mi-Šr II and 500
PP-Mi-Na 1) for training and research purposes. The April 2003 Article 7 report
stated that Slovakia retained 1,486 mines at the end of 2002. Fourteen
PP-Mi-Šr II mines were consumed during 2002 to test two demining
machines.[6] The previous
Article 7 report stated, “There is a planned consumption of 100
antipersonnel mines (both types) per year for the mine destruction
training.”[7] Slovakia
reported in December 2002 that it anticipated usage of five to 15 mines in 2003,
for evaluation of the Alligator demining
machine.[8]
Antivehicle mines with sensitive fuzes and antihandling devices
In March 2003, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Slovakia observes a
policy of best practices regarding antivehicle mineswith sensitive fuzes
and antihandling devices. The results of its study of which antivehicle mines
may be prohibited or permitted by the Mine Ban Treaty are expected later in
2003.[9]
Mine Action Assistance
In May 2002, Slovakia donated a Bozena demining
machine (value US$185,000) to the International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine
Victims Assistance for use in
Croatia.[10]
Slovakia’s participation in the Kosovo Protection Force (KFOR) mission,
which included some demining, ended in March 2002. Its participation in the UN
Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea, with 198 troops and eight Slovak Bozena and
three Belarty demining machines, will end in 2003. Since mid-2002, a Slovak
unit has participated in mine clearance in Afghanistan, as part of Operation
Enduring Freedom.[11]
Slovakia’s Amended Protocol II Article 13 report and Mine Ban Treaty
Article 7 report include details of the Bozena and Belarty mine clearance
machines.[12]
Landmine/UXO Problem and Casualties
Unexploded ordnance (UXO) from World War II is
occasionally found in Slovakia. The media reported that in the first half of
2002, 97 pieces of UXO, mostly artillery shells and grenades, were found in
different places in the Banska Bystica area of West
Slovakia.[13]
No casualties from UXO are reported by Slovakia in its Article 7 or Article
13 reports. According to a press account, on 2 May 2002, a nine-year-old boy
died and his 12-year-old brother was seriously injured after they set off a UXO
found close to their home in the village of Horka nad
Vahom.[14]
[1] Letter from Karol Mistrik, Head of
Disarmament Section, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 14 March 2003; see also,
Landmine Monitor Report 2002, p.
435. [2] Letter from Karol Mistrik,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 14 March
2003. [3] Statement by Ambassador
Kálmán Petőcz, Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva, Fourth
Meeting of State Parties, Geneva, 16-20 September
2002. [4] Letter from Karol Mistrik,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 14 March
2003. [5] Article 7 Report, submitted on
1 April 2003 for calendar year 2002. Four previous Article 7 Reports were
submitted on: 30 April 2002 (for calendar year 2001); 25 July 2001 (for calendar
year 2000); 12 June 2000 (for the period 1 December 1999–30 April 2000); 9
December 1999 (for the period 3 December 1997–30 November
1999). [6] Article 7 Report, Form D, 1
April 2003; letter from Karol Mistrik, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 14 March
2003. [7] Article 7 Report, Form D, 30
April 2002. [8] Response to Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe questionnaire, 11 December 2002, p.
2. [9] Letter from Karol Mistrik,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 14 March
2003. [10]
Ibid. [11] Response to OSCE
questionnaire, 11 December 2002, pp. 2-3; Amended Protocol II Article 13 Report,
Form E, 18 October 2002. [12] Article 7
Report, Form J, 1 April 2003; Amended Protocol II Article 13 Report, Form E, 18
October 2002. [13] TASR (Slovak News
Agency), 10 May 2002, at
www.sme.sk. [14]
Ibid., 2 May 2002.