Since the Cook Islands signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997, the
government has made several statements indicating that ratification of the
treaty is underway, but the Cook Islands remains in the group of just nine
signatory countries that have still not ratified the agreement. In its last
update provided 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 General
Assembly resolutions encouraging universalization of the Mine Ban Treaty. The
Cook Islands has never produced, transferred, stockpiled or used antipersonnel
mines.[2] It is not
mine-affected.
[1] Email from Mr. Edwin Pittman, Secretary
for Foreign Affairs and Immigration, 16 July 2003. Landmine Monitor sent a
request for updated information on 1 December 2003 and several faxes and emails
after this date, but had not received a response as of 11 June 2004.
[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.