+   *    +     +     
About Us 
The Issues 
Our Research Products 
Order Publications 
Multimedia 
Press Room 
Resources for Monitor Researchers 
ARCHIVES HOME PAGE 
    >
 
Table of Contents
Country Reports
Italy, Landmine Monitor Report 2004

Italy

Key developments since May 2003: In 2003, Italy provided €5.11 million ($5.8 million) in mine action funding, nearly 50 percent less than the previous year. In February 2004, it was announced that, for 2004–2006, the Trust Fund for Humanitarian Demining will receive a total of €7.65 million, a large reduction from recent allocations. In September 2003, Italy became co-chair of the Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction. As EU President in the second half of 2003, Italy undertook diplomatic démarches with 39 States not party to the Mine Ban Treaty, and in its own capacity undertook five démarches.

Key developments since 1999: Italy became a State Party to the Mine Ban Treaty on 1 October 1999. Parliament had already approved a national law banning antipersonnel mines in October 1997. Italy possessed a stockpile of 7.1 million antipersonnel mines, substantially larger than any other EU member. The destruction program began in February 1999 and was completed in November 2002. Italy served as co-rapporteur then co-chair of the Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction from September 2002 to December 2004. Italian funding of mine action from 1999–2003 totaled about €27.1 million ($26.3 million); of this, victim assistance projects received about $4.5 million. Italy established a Trust Fund for Humanitarian Demining in 2001.

Mine Ban Policy

Italy signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997 and ratified it on 23 April 1999, becoming a State Party on 1 October 1999.[1] Previously, on 29 October 1997, Parliament approved Law 374/97 banning antipersonnel mines. With amendments, this was used for implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty when the ratification legislation (Law 106/99) was approved on 26 March 1999. The Italian legislation is more stringent than the Mine Ban Treaty in some respects.[2]

Italy has been an active participant in all of the annual Meetings of States Parties, and the intersessional Standing Committee meetings. Italy became co-rapporteur of the Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction in September 2002, and co-chair in September 2003; it will serve until the Review Conference in November/December 2004. At the Fifth Meeting of States Parties in September 2003, as then-President of the European Union (EU), Italy confirmed support for international mine action as one of the EU’s political priorities. It stressed that “undiminished efforts aimed at eradicating anti-personnel mines worldwide are still required.”[3] At the February 2004 intersessional meetings, the Italian delegation gave an update on diplomatic efforts by Italy as EU President to promote universalization of the treaty and compliance with Article 7 reporting requirements.[4] Italian funding of mine action for 2004–2006 was also announced (see later section). In March 2004, Italy participated in a meeting called by the French Commission Nationale pour l’Elimination des Mines Anti-personnel to discuss implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty and Article 8.

Before Italy’s presidency of the EU (1 July–31 December 2003), the Italian Campaign to Ban Landmines proposed priorities for the Presidency: support for universalization and implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty, efforts to stop ongoing use of mines and increased funds for humanitarian mine action.[5] The Ministry of Foreign Affairs assured the Campaign that its proposals “reflect the intended inspiring principles for the Italian Government’s action in this area, which we have already begun to illustrate within the EU from these early weeks.”[6] As EU President, Italy undertook diplomatic démarches with 39 States not party to the Mine Ban Treaty, and in its own capacity undertook five démarches with the two EU members (Finland, Greece) and three accession countries (Estonia, Latvia, and Poland) remaining outside the treaty.[7] Steps to promote Article 7 reporting were undertaken with Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Eritrea, Namibia and Nauru.[8]

In previous years, Italy has also made efforts to universalize the treaty. In 2002, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported diplomatic initiatives involving Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, and the US, and contacts with non-State actors.[9] In October 2002, the Senate approved a motion calling on the government to promote the treaty with non-State actors.[10]

In December 2003, Italy voted in favor of UN General Assembly Resolution 58/53, which calls for universalization and implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty. Italy has voted for similar General Assembly resolutions since 1996. As EU President at the time, Italy also coordinated UNGA Resolution 58/127, which calls for increased assistance for mine action; the resolution was approved by consensus on 19 December 2003.

Italy submitted its annual Article 7 transparency report on 27 April 2004. The report notes no changes from the previous report, except for mine action funding given on the voluntary Form J. There have been four previous Article 7 reports.[11]

As a result of lobbying by the Italian Campaign on the fifth anniversary of entry into force of the Mine Ban Treaty, the parliamentary Foreign Affairs Commission voted unanimously on 24 March 2004 to call on the government to coordinate with the Campaign its participation in the Review Conference. The resolution called for wide participation of civil society, parliamentarians and NGOs; encouragement for States not party to the treaty to accede, with special reference to NATO members; and for considerable increase in mine action funding in 2005–2006. In April 2004, a similar resolution was presented by a center-left party in the Senate.

Italy has participated in the extensive States Parties’ discussions on matters of interpretation and implementation regarding Articles 1, 2, and 3 of the Mine Ban Treaty. At the Fifth Meeting of States Parties, Italy confirmed previous statements that national legislation permits joint military activities with non-States Parties only if the activities are compatible with Article 1 of the Mine Ban Treaty. The armed forces “continue to receive strict instructions to abstain from participating in actions contrary to the letter and spirit of the Ottawa Convention.”[12] In February 2003, Italy said that Italian troops in Afghanistan were given written instructions to that effect.[13]

On the related issue of the legality of transit of antipersonnel mines, Italy has stated that under national legislation, transit is allowed only for the purpose of destruction of mines.[14] In March 2003, the Italian Campaign to Ban Landmines sought assurances from the Ministry of Defense that US antipersonnel mines were not transported via the Italian rail network in the run-up to the war in Iraq, and asked if US had given assurances that any logistical support would be compatible with Italy’s obligations under the Mine Ban Treaty. On 13 May the Ministry replied that, although not a State Party, the US was fully aware of States Parties’ treaty obligations, and that, “The issue had been commented upon in the context of the work of the CCW Conference held in Geneva from 10 to 14 March, to which the US is a State Party.”[15]

Regarding the Article 2 issue of antivehicle mines with sensitive fuzes and antihandling devices, at the Fifth Meeting of States Parties, Italy confirmed that its legislation defines as a prohibited antipersonnel mine “any munition or device which can be placed on, under, inside or near the ground or any surface area, and designed or adaptable–by means of specific mechanisms–so as to explode, cause an explosion or release incapacitating substances as a consequence of the presence, proximity or contact of a person.” Italy stated, “This definition also therefore includes antivehicle mines with anti-handling devices which are assimilated to antipersonnel mines.”[16] In previous statements of this position, Italy has encouraged other States Parties to explore all possibilities, via a “best practices” approach, for moving forward on this issue.[17]

Italy is a State Party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) and its Amended Protocol II, and attended the Fifth Conference of States Parties to the Protocol in November 2003.[18] Italy submitted its annual report as required by Article 13 of the protocol on 10 November 2003. It has submitted Article 13 reports and attended annual conferences in previous years. In other CCW work, Italy qualified its support for a legally-binding instrument on explosive remnants of war by rejecting any retroactive responsibility for the clearance of existing remnants.[19]

Seizures of Mines and Criminal Use

On 29 January 2004, a parcel containing two antipersonnel mines was seized by Carabinieri (military police) at Rome’s Fiumicino airport. The mines were not armed and were fuzeless although they did have electric detonators. The parcel was addressed to a man in Genoa who said he had ordered the mines on the internet from a US company. He was questioned and his house was raided but no other mines were found.[20] In another incident on 10 March 2004, a mine was placed at a side entrance of the Town Hall in Gairo, near Nuoro, in Sardinia. It was removed safely by Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) personnel.[21] Another antipersonnel mine was found in the parking lot of a shopping center in the outskirts of Rome on 23 March 2004. The mine was removed and rendered safe by EOD personnel.[22]

On 12 December 2003, a mine was fixed to the door of a trade unionist’s car in Sardinia, with an intimidating note. The mine was removed by EOD personnel and found to be fuzeless. A newspaper report of this incident linked it to the theft of explosives and landmines from a military depot in Campu Mela, near the Sardinian town of Sassari in April 1997.[23] Five people were apprehended in July 1997 and later sentenced for theft. Much of what was stolen has been recovered. For instance, 25 mines were found in a house in Cardedu in May 2002, and eleven antipersonnel mines and one antivehicle mine were discovered in Cardedu on 17 June 2002.[24] On 7 March 2004, 49 MK2 antipersonnel mines were found by Carabinieri in a cave in Sardinia, and in May 2004, another 37 mines were found buried in Ogliastra.[25] There had been no prosecutions under Italy’s domestic ban legislation as of September 2004.

Production and Transfer

In November 1993, the government ceased authorizing the export of antipersonnel mines. In August 1994 it declared a moratorium on production and export which was made permanent in October 1997 by Law 374/97. Italy’s former role as a major producer and exporter of antipersonnel mines was detailed in the Landmine Monitor Report 1999. Three companies – Valsella, Tecnovar, and Misar – specialized in producing and exporting mines and mine-related products. Valsella produced ten main types of antipersonnel mine, Tecnovar two types, and Misar four main types. Italian mines have been found in Afghanistan, Angola, Argentina, DR Congo, Egypt, Kuwait, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Mozambique, Pakistan, Somalia, South Africa, and Sudan.[26]

The conversion or de-commissioning of Valsella and Tecnovar production facilities was noted in Italy’s second Article 7 report.[27] No such information on Misar has been included in any of Italy’s Article 7 reports, nor in any edition of the government’s Registro delle Mine (Register of Mines).[28] Misar’s mine production capacity was sold to Società Explosivi Industriali (SEI), which is controlled by a Paris-based group. The Ministry of Defense states that Misar/SEI has replied to the Ministry’s inquiry and satisfied the legal requirements, but the reply has not been disclosed.[29] Italian legislation required anyone in possession of live or inert landmines to declare them within four months and hand them in within another three months, but does not empower the authorities to carry out inquiries or searches.[30]

Stockpiling and Destruction

Italy possessed a stockpile of 7.1 million antipersonnel mines, substantially larger than any other EU member. The stockpile was composed of approximately 6.5 million warfare mines and 600,000 practice mines.[31]

The destruction program began in February 1999 and was completed in November 2002, as required by the national legislation and in advance of the Mine Ban Treaty deadline (October 2003). It took place at two military plants in Italy, including a German company based at one of the plants. A full account of the destruction process was given at the Standing Committee meetings in February 2003.[32] Notably, Italy destroyed its stocks of the MUSPA and MIFF mines, which another State Party, Germany, does not classify as an antipersonnel mine and has not destroyed. During the Fifth Meeting of States Parties, Italy’s military representatives pointed out the expertise gained by destroying such a large stockpile could be used for other countries’ stocks of similar mines or adapted to deal with other types, including the PFM.[33]

Mines Retained Under Article 3

Italy’s April 2004 Article 7 report states that 811 warfare mines were retained for permitted purposes at the end of 2003, indicating no consumption of mines during 2003 and 2002. The armed forces retain 803 warfare mines and the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre at Ispra holds eight warfare mines.[34] No mention is made of practice mines retained, which were recorded in the previous Article 7 report as totaling 7,181.[35] In May 2002, Italy told Landmine Monitor that the practice mines were inert and not capable of functioning as antipersonnel mines, and therefore did not have to be included in Article 7 reporting.[36] The government’s Register of Mines of 10 October 2003 notes a total of 6,584 mines retained, including 811 warfare mines and 5,773 practice mines.[37] Italian law permits the retention of up to 8,000 antipersonnel mines for training and development purposes.

Landmine/Unexploded Ordnance Problem

Each year EOD personnel from different forces are called upon to remove or deactivate some 3,000 explosive remnants of war dating mostly from World War II and, in mountainous regions mainly in the north, from World War I. In 2003, EOD operations resulted in the temporary evacuation of some 80,000 people. In September 2003, 9,300 people were evacuated from an urban area in Turin during operations to render safe two bombs dropped in August 1943 and found during excavations at the local stadium.[38]

In 1999, Italian territorial waters in the Adriatic Sea were contaminated with munitions, including cluster bombs, jettisoned by NATO aircraft returning from operations over the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. NATO declared that 235 munitions were jettisoned, of which 202 had been located by March 2000, after which clearance operations were renewed. There were reports of injuries to Italian fishermen. Fishing was embargoed, and compensation awarded to fishermen and shipowners.[39]

Mine Action Funding and Assistance

Governmental

In 2003, Italy provided a total of €5,114,126 ($5.79 million) in mine action funding.[40] This was substantially less than the total of €9.91 million in 2002.[41] The decrease of nearly 50 percent contrasts with Italy’s promotion of UNGA Resolution 58/127, which urged States to provide increased mine action funding, and with statements made by Italy at the Standing Committee meetings in February 2003, that stressed the importance of continuity in funding of mine action.[42]

Funding of €2.58 million was provided via the Trust Fund for Humanitarian Demining (€9.81 million in 2002). An additional €2.95 million came from the Mediterranean and Middle East Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the emergency situation in Iraq, and €85,670 came from the Ministry’s regional divisions for Croatia and the Organization of American States.[43] Funding for mine action was distributed to seven countries and three organizations:

  • Angola: €700,000 ($792,050), including €500,000 through the UNDP for planning and coordination and €200,000 through UNICEF for integrated mine action
  • Azerbaijan: €200,000 ($226,300) to develop national mine action capacity, through UNDP
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina: €400,000 ($452,600) through UNDP for coordination
  • Croatia: €193,000 ($218,380), including €168,000 to CROMAC for mine clearance and €25,000 for the rehabilitation center in Rovinj
  • Iraq: €2,946,171 ($3,333,592), including €2,446,171 via UNMAS for emergency demining and €500,000 via UNDP for mine action including victim assistance in Nassirya province, where Italian troops are deployed.
  • Sudan: €102,285 ($115,735) via UNMAS for emergency mine action[44]
  • Yemen: €200,000 ($226,300) through UNDP for integrated mine action
  • Organization of American States: €100,000 ($113,150) for mine action in Costa Rica and Honduras, and €60,670 ($68,648) for victim assistance and mine risk education in Colombia, Ecuador and Perú.[45]
  • Geneva Call: €100,000 ($113,150) via UNMAS for universalization initiatives with non-State actors
  • Geneva International Center for Humanitarian Demining: €112,000 ($126,728), including €67,000 for the Sponsorship Program, and €45,000 for the Implementation Support Unit

Landmine Monitor calculates that Italian governmental funding of mine action from 1999 to 2003 totaled €27.12 million ($27 million).

Italian Government Funding of Mine Action 1999–2003 (in millions)[46]


1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
Total
Trust Fund


€2.582
€9.810
€2.582
€14.974
MFA
€4.766
€1.703
€3.046
€0.100
€2.528
€12.143
Total
€4.766
€1.703
€5.628
€9.910
€5.110
€27.117
Total in US$
$5.1
$1.6
$5.1
$9.4
$5.8
$27

Landmine Monitor estimates Italian mine action funding from 1995 to 2003 to be about $50 million.[47] The UNMAS mine investments database records total Italian governmental funding for mine action in 1999–2003 as $23.8 million, and in 1995–2003, $30 million.[48] Countries benefiting from Italian mine action funding in previous years include Cambodia, Chad, Ethiopia, Laos, Lebanon, Mozambique, Sri Lanka, and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Kosovo).

The Landmine Monitor estimates that in 1999–2003 victim assistance projects received about $4.5 million in funding from the Italian government (1999: $1,586,042; 2000: $1,320,000; 2001: $1,145,537; 2002: $95,000; 2003: $379,811).[49]

The Trust Fund for Humanitarian Demining was proposed in 1999 by the Green Party, with the aim of L50 billion ($23.15 million) funding in 2000. Approval was delayed until February 2001, and funding levels were reduced. Italian involvement in mine action has also been guided by the National Committee for Humanitarian Mine Action (Comitato Nazionale per l’Azione Umanitaria Contro le Mine, CNAUMA), set up in February 1999. Guidelines for mine action were produced in July 1999. CNAUMA works under the guidance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and is composed of representatives from several ministries and NGOs and others.[50]

In February 2004, it was announced that, for 2004–2006, the Trust Fund for Humanitarian Demining will receive a total of €7.646 million, a large reduction from recent allocations, which have averaged about €5 million per year.[51] The Ministry of Foreign Affairs originally requested €36 million over the three-year period. As this was being debated through Parliament in October–December 2003, the Italian Campaign lobbied extensively for adequate funding, including a special hearing with Nobel Laureate Jody Williams before the Human Rights Committee in the House of Deputies, and press releases and media interviews. Letters and petitions from many NGOs and others were passed to the President of the House of Deputies on 5 December.[52] Although these efforts prompted the Foreign Affairs Commission of the House to vote unanimously for a resolution urging the government to continue promoting the mine ban and supporting mine action with the amount requested by the Ministry, the funding request was denied.[53] Later amendments in the House and Senate to restore funding levels were unsuccessful.

In May 2004, it was decided that Trust Fund allocations would be revised, in order to exclude Iraq, which receives much Italian funding from other sources. For 2004, funding was due to be allocated for mine action in the following countries: Afghanistan: €84,000 (credit for purchase of Italian mine detectors); Angola: €699,500 (€499,500 through UNDP and €200,000 through UNICEF for MRE); Azerbaijan: €150,000 (UNDP); Bosnia and Herzegovina: €500,000 (UNDP); Croatia: €250,000 (bilateral); Eritrea: €84,000 (credit for purchase of Italian mine detectors through UNDP); Sudan: €200,000 (through UNMAS); Tajikistan: €60,000 (UNDP); and Yemen: €150,000. In addition, funding was allocated via UNMAS for mine action by the following organizations: GICHD: €112,000; OAS: €100,000; Geneva Call: €100,000 for work on non-State actors; Landmine Monitor: €25,000; Italian Campaign to Ban Landmines: €25,000. The remaining €40,500 were to be used to cover costs for the person dealing with the administration and release of funds within the Cooperation division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[54]

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also announced that it planned to renew its request for €12 million to be budgeted for mine action in 2005.[55]

In 2003, Italian armed forces on peacekeeping missions carried out clearance of mines and UXO in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Iraq. In Afghanistan 3,410 antipersonnel mines and 69 antivehicle mines were found and destroyed; in Bosnia and Herzegovina 155 antipersonnel mines and 30 antivehicle mines were found and destroyed; and in Iraq three fragmentation bombs and one missile warhead were destroyed.[56] Similar activities were carried out in previous years, including mine risk education and training in mine/UXO clearance, in additional countries including Albania, Angola, Kosovo, Kuwait, Pakistan and Timor Leste.[57]

At the Fifth Meeting of States Parties, the Ministry of Defense said that every contingent of the Italian Armed Forces in operational theaters includes an EOD capacity. The use of explosive and mine detecting dogs is being developed, and expected to be fully operational by 2008.[58]

Nongovernmental Support for Mine Action and Survivor Assistance[59]

In 2003, the Mine Action Unit of the NGO, InterSos, carried out clearance and mine risk education activities in Afghanistan, Angola, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Iraq, and mine risk education in Pakistan. In previous years, InterSos has worked in these countries and also in Kosovo, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.[60]

In 2002, the Italian NGO Movimondo continued to support the Nicaraguan army’s demining program with a mine risk education project, as part of a food security project by Movimondo.[61] In 2001, CESVI (Cooperazione E Sviluppo, Cooperation and Development) supported demining in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Eritrea. The private company Appalti, Bonifiche, Costruzioni (ABC) carried out mine clearance in Croatia from 1999–2001.[62]

Several Italian NGOs are involved in survivor assistance programs including, in 2003, Intersos, AVSI, CUAMM, and Emergency. In 2003, InterSos continued assisting mine/UXO victims and other disabled people in its orthopedic center in Menongue, Angola, treating 117 people of whom 97 were mine victims. The center was set up in 1998 to provide services including physical rehabilitation, therapy, prosthesis fitting and continuing medical care.[63] AVSI (Associazione Volontari per il Servizio Internazionale) continued in 2003 a program started in July 1998, providing medical rehabilitation for war victims in northern Uganda.[64] The NGO, CUAMM, provides medical care in Northern Angola but did not record any mine injury patients in their hospitals in 2003.[65]

Emergency continued its victim assistance programs in Afghanistan, Cambodia, and Iraq during 2003. In Afghanistan, Emergency has a surgical center in Kabul, a general hospital and an obstetrics and gynecology ward in Anabah, and 24 first aid posts/public health centers.[67] Emergency has operated in Cambodia since 1998; the “Ilaria Alpi” Emergency hospital and five first aid posts are located in Battambang.[68] In Iraq, Emergency has two surgical centers in Iraqi Kurdistan.[66]

The Toscana region of Italy has an extensive international medical cooperation program which includes in 2004 a project to assist child mine victims from Yemen. Eight children per year will be hospitalized in Toscana to receive treatment. Toscana will also undertake a joint project with the Italian Red Cross for the medical assistance, both in situ and in Toscana, of Iraqi children affected by war. [69]

Since 1999, the Italian Red Cross has helped to finance rehabilitation and victim assistance centers in Afghanistan (Kabul), and Ethiopia (Addis Ababa). The Italian Red Cross has not supplied Landmine Monitor with information on its more recent mine-related activities.

Landmine/UXO Casualties

On 17 July 2004, a 70-year-old man died and another was seriously injured in the Venice province when a piece of UXO they were handling exploded. The ordnance probably dated back to World War I. The man belonged to a cultural association collecting remnants of war.[70]

In January 2003, three Italian tourists were killed and a fourth injured by an antivehicle mine in the Niger desert close to the Algerian border.[71] In April 2003, several Italian soldiers were injured when their vehicle hit a mine in Khost Province, Afghanistan.[72] In May 2002, an Italian soldier was killed by an antivehicle mine in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. No other Italian civilian or military mine casualties have been reported since 1999.


[1] Italian policy on landmines started to change in 1993. Production and export were halted in 1994, and from 1995 Parliament worked closely with the Italian Campaign to Ban Landmines on legislation for a comprehensive national ban on antipersonnel mines. Although participating in all preparatory meetings of the Ottawa Process, Italy initially favored negotiations within the Conference on Disarmament. By the time of the Brussels conference in June 1997, Italy was fully committed to the Ottawa Process. See Landmine Monitor Report 1999, pp. 712–713.
[2] Law 374/97 has a wider definition of antipersonnel mine than the Mine Ban Treaty. It includes dual-use mines and mines with antihandling/anti-manipulation devices. It requires a six-month government report on implementation. But it lacks any inspection and monitoring mechanism, or commitment to mine clearance. Reconciling Law 374/97 with the Mine Ban Treaty delayed Italy’s ratification of the treaty. Despite attempts by some to weaken the national ban, it was agreed that, where the two differed, the stronger legislation should prevail. For details of the ratification process, see Landmine Monitor Report 1999, pp. 713–715.
[3] Statement by Amb. Carlo Trezza, Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, Fifth Meeting of States Parties, Bangkok, 15 September 2003.
[4] Statement by Amb. Carlo Trezza, Standing Committee on the General Status and Operation of the Convention, Geneva, 9 February 2004.
[5] Italian Campaign to Ban Landmines, “Promoting a truly mine-free world – The role of the Italian Presidency of the European Union,” June 2003, www.campagnamine.org.
[6] Letter from Alfredo Luigi Mantica, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, MFA ref. 006/1139, 30 July 2003. “... le considerazioni ivi formulate riflettono i principi cui il Governo italiano intende ispirare la sua azione nello specifico settore, che abbiamo avuto cura di illustrare in ambito comunitario fin da queste prime settimane.”
[7] Fax from Paolo Cuculi, Counselor, Office for Multilateral Political Affairs and Human Rights, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 7 January 2004. In May 2004, the President of the Senate Human Rights Commission also wrote to the Polish Prime Minister urging prompt ratification of the treaty, pointing out that several neighboring countries had acceded. The Italian Campaign has also urged Poland to ratify the treaty without delay, and called on the EU Presidents in 2004 (Italy and the Netherlands) to make special efforts encouraging Finland, Latvia and Poland to become States Parties without delay.
[8] For details of the demarches, see European Union entry in this report.
[9] Alfredo Luigi Mantica, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, in “Report of CNAUMA meeting,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 29 October 2002.
[10] “Mozione sulle mine antiuomo,” Senate, 15 October 2002.
[11] See Article 7 reports submitted: 27 April 2004 (for the period 17 October 1998–31 December 2003); 16 April 2003 (for the period 17 October 1998–31 December 2002); 2 May 2002 (for the period 17 October 1998–31 December 2001); 30 April 2001 (for the period 17 October 1998–31 December 2000); 29 March 2000 (reporting period stated “as of 31 January 2000”).
[12] Statement by Italy, Fifth Meeting of States Parties, Bangkok, 15 September 2003.
[13] Statement by Italy on Article 1, Standing Committee on the General Status and Operation of the Convention, Geneva, 7 February 2003.
[14] Oral remarks to the Standing Committee on General Status and Operation of the Convention, Geneva, 11 May 2001.
[15] Letter to the Italian Campaign to Ban Landmines from Ministry of Defense, 13 May 2003.
[16] Statement by Italy, Fifth Meeting of States Parties, Bangkok, 15 September 2003.
[17] Statement by Italy on Article 2, Standing Committee on the General Status and Operation of the Convention, Geneva, 7 February 2002. See also Landmine Monitor Report 2002, pp. 305–307.
[18] When Italy ratified Amended Protocol II on 13 January 1999, it deposited interpretative statements with the effect of weakening the effect of the word “primarily” in the Protocol’s definition of an antipersonnel mine, bringing the Protocol’s definition closer to that of the Mine Ban Treaty. See Landmine Monitor Report 1999, p. 716.
[19] Report of meeting of National Committee for Humanitarian Mine Action, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 29 October 2002, and telephone interviews with Paolo Cuculi, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, March 2003.
[20] “Compra Due Mine su Internet, Allarme a Fiumicino” (“Man buys two mines on the internet. Alarm raised in Fiumicino”), AGI (news agency) 29 January 2004. Police in Genoa and Rome stated that no further details could be disclosed as investigations were still ongoing. Letter from Col. Alberto Raucci, Comando Regionale Carabinieri Liguria, 24 March 2004; email from Maj. Giorgio Manca, Public Information Office, Comando Generale Arma dei Carabinieri, Roma, 31 March 2004.
[21] “Nuoro: Mina antiuomo davanti al comune di Gairo” (“Nuoro: landmine found outside Gairo town hall”), Agr (news agency), 10 March 2004.
[22] “Roma, allarme bomba alla Romanina: Era una mina antiuomo” (“Rome: bomb alert at the Romanina Shopping Centre: it was an antipersonnel mine”), ADN-Kronos (news agency), 23 March 2004.
[23] “Trovate in un anfratto 49 mine antiuomo” (“49 antipersonnel mines found in a cave”), L’Unione Sarda (newspaper), 8 March 2004.
[24] “Sette anni fa il clamoroso furto nel deposito militare vicino a Sassari” (“Seven years ago, clamorous theft in a military warehouse near Sassari”), L'Unione Sarda, 8 March 2004.
[25] “Nuoro: scoperte in una grotta 49 mine antiuomo” (“Nuoro: 49 antipersonnel mines found in a cave”), Agr (news agency), 7 March 2004; “Sardegna: Trovate mine antiuomo rubate” (“Sardinia: Stolen antipersonnel mines found,” Agr, 31 May 2004. Antipersonnel and antivehicle mines were also recovered in August 1997 and April 1998.
[26] See Landmine Monitor Report 1999, pp. 717–729. These companies were formed between 1969 and 1977. Until the late 1980s, they achieved large-scale production and sales, favored by permissive export regulations, banking support and public financing of weapons development. Sales efforts moved increasingly to export markets, focusing on conflict areas. Valsella set up a branch in Singapore and entered into partnerships that allowed assembly of Valsella mines in Singapore. Singapore Technologies continues to produce copies of Italian mines to this day. Tecnovar exported to, and licensed production in, Egypt, from where mines found their way to Afghanistan and Rwanda. Misar licensed production to factories in Spain (Expal), Portugal (Spel), Greece (Elviemek), Pakistan (POF), and Australia.
[27] Article 7 Report, Form E, 30 April 2001.
[28] Article 7 Report, Form E, 16 April 2003: “National Military Authorities, in charge of collection and destruction of APMs owned or possessed by any civilian at the moment of entry into force of Law 374/97, have never received any report from MISAR.”
[29] Telephone interview with Col. Oliva, Ministry of Defense, 2 May 2003; see also Landmine Monitor Report 2000, p. 670.
[30] Law 374/97, Article 3, 29 October 1997. Misar did hand in plans and technologies in its possession; no Misar sales were recorded after 1995.
[31] Several different totals have been given: 7,123,672 (6,529,811 warfare mines, 593,861 practice mines) in Registro delle Mine, Terrestrial Armaments General Directorate, Ministry of Defense, 10 October 2003, p. 5; 7,122,811 (6,529,811 warfare mines, 593,000 practice mines) in “Destruction of the Italian Antipersonnel Mine Stockpile,” Ministry of Defense, Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 6 February 2003; 7,122,739 (6,529,838 warfare mines, 592,901 practice mines) in Article 7 Report, Form B, 2 May 2002; 7,117,126 (6,529,809 warfare mines and 587,317 practice mines) in Article 7 Report, Form B, 29 March 2000. The main types of active mine were: PMC (2,068,193), AUPS (1,738,781), VAR 40 (1,420,636), MAUS-1 (623,755), Valmara 69 (410,027), Mk 2 (216,546), KB44 (21,840), MUSPA (10,160), MIFF (6,400), MUSA (1,760), VS-50 (180), VS-JAP (160) and Claymore (86). There were also large quantities described as “out of order.”
[32] Presentation by Italy, Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, 6 February 2003. See also Landmine Monitor Report 2002, p. 306, and Landmine Monitor Report 2003, pp. 298–299.
[33] Intervention by Ministry of Defense representative at National Committee for Humanitarian Mine Action meeting in Rome (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) on 30 October 2003.
[34] Article 7 Report, Form D, 27 April 2004.
[35] Article 7 Report, Form D, 2 May 2002.
[36] Landmine Monitor (HRW) interview with Italian delegation at intersessional meetings, Geneva, 31 May 2002.
[37] Registro delle Mine (Register of Mines), Terrestrial Armaments General Directorate, Ministry of Defense, 10 October 2003, p. 5.
[38] “L’Italia disseminata di ordigni inesplosi. A 60 anni dai bombardamenti i ritrovamenti di residuati sono quasi dieci al giorno” (“Unexploded ordnance scattered over Italy. Sixty years after the bombings, almost 10 explosive remnants of war are found every day”), Metro (newspaper), 29 September 2003.
[39] See Landmine Monitor Report 2001, pp. 722–723.
[40] Report by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from meeting on mine action priorities for 2004, Rome, 2 February 2004; Article 7 Report, Form J, 27 April 2004. Exchange rate for 2003 of €1 = $1.1315, used throughout this report. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 2 January 2004.
[41] Article 7 Report, Form J, 16 April 2003. The Mine Action Investments database records Italian funding in 2002 as US$9.9 million. www.mineaction.org , accessed on 2 April 2004.
[42] Statement by Italy, Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, Mine Risk Education and Mine Action Technologies, Geneva, 5 February 2003.
[43] Report by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from meeting on mine action priorities, 2 February 2004; Statement by Italy, Standing Committee on General Status, 9 February 2004.
[44] Funding for Sudan was diverted from the UNMAS rapid response program based in Brindisi (Italy) due to the humanitarian emergency and Sudan’s ratification of the Mine Ban Treaty, and to ensure continuity to Italy’s previous funding of mine action in Sudan. Report from a meeting of the National Committee for Humanitarian Mine Action, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rome, 30 October 2003.
[45] Article 7 Report, Form J, 16 April 2003, “Current and Planned Donor Activity for Italy,” Mine Action Investments database; telephone interview with Raffaella Pavani, Counselor, Americas Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 17 May 2004.
[46] Data taken from previous editions of the Landmine Monitor, using the US$ exchange rates from each annual report, except funding in 1999 and 2002 was recalculated in Euros and converted to US$ by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Error in conversion of 2002 corrected by Landmine Monitor.
[47] See Landmine Monitor Report 2003, Executive Summary, p. 55. Funding from 1995-1997 was about $10.5 million, and in 1998 about $12 million.
[48] “Multi-year Donor Report: Italy,” Mine Action Investments database.
[49] Data taken from previous editions of the Landmine Monitor, using the US$ exchange rates from each annual report.
[50] See Landmine Monitor Report 2001, pp. 719–720, Landmine Monitor Report 2000, pp. 668–669, and Landmine Monitor Report 2002, pp. 307–308.
[51] Statement by Italy, Standing Committee on General Status, 9 February 2004.
[52]Finanziaria: solo briciole per lo sminamento umanitario” (“Only the crumbs left for humanitarian demining”), www.vita.org, 21 October 2003. NGOs sending letters of support included the ICBL, Austrian Aid for Mine Victims, Geneva Call, HI, Jesuit Refugee Service–Cambodia, Medico International, MAG, and Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.
[53] Law 350/03, Table C, 24 December 2003.
[54] Ministry of Foreign Affairs note circulated at meeting of National Committee on Humanitarian Mine Action, 22 September 2004.
[55] Meeting of the Trust Fund for Humanitarian Demining, Rome, 20 May 2004. Landmine Monitor notes.
[56] CCW Amended Protocol II Article 13 Report, Form F, 10 November 2003.
[57] See Landmine Monitor Report 1999, pp. 730–731, Landmine Monitor Report 2000, p. 680, Landmine Monitor Report 2002, p. 310, and Landmine Monitor Report 2003, pp. 299–300.
[58] Presentation by Col. Mario Amadei, Fifth Meeting of States Parties, Bangkok, 15–19 September.
[59] For fuller details of these projects in 2003, see relevant each entries in this report.
[60] See Landmine Monitor Report 2001, p. 727, and Landmine Monitor Report 2002, p. 310.
[61] Interviews with Vincenzo Pira, Movimondo, 11 and 26 March 2003.
[62] See Landmine Monitor Report 1999, p. 731, Landmine Monitor Report 2001, p. 727, and Landmine Monitor Report 2002, pp. 310–311. Movimondo, CESVI and ABC did not respond Landmine Monitor requests for more recent information on their activities.
[63] Response to LM Questionnaire from Mine Action Unit, InterSos, 5 February 2004. For details of the InterSos program in Angola in previous years, see earlier editions of the Landmine Monitor.
[64] Response to LM Questionnaire from Davide Naggi, Gulu Field Office, AVSI Program Coordinator, 1 March 2004. Data collected thanks to close cooperation with local hospitals, Gulu Regional Orthopedic Workshop and Engineering Department of the UPDF 4th Division. For details of the AVSI program in Uganda in previous years, see earlier editions of the Landmine Monitor.
[65] Email from Roberta Gambalonga, CUAMM, 11 March 2004.
[67] Response to LM Questionnaire from Sandro Greblo, Desk Officer for Afghanistan, Emergency, 31 March 2004.
[68] Response to LM Questionnaire from Sonia Riccelli, Desk Officer for Cambodia, Emergency, 28 March 2004.
[66] Response to LM Questionnaire from Donatella Farese, Desk Officer for Iraq, Emergency, 3 March 2004. For fuller details of these projects in 2003, see reports for each country in this edition of the Landmine Monitor. For details of Emergency programs in previous years, see earlier editions of the Landmine Monitor.
[69] Email from Paola Salvi, Right to Health and Solidarity Policies Department, Tuscany Region, 16 April 2004.
[70] “Veneto: esplode ordigno bellico a San Donà, 1 morto e 1 ferito” (“Veneto: ERW explodes in San Donà: one man dies, one is injured”), ADN-Kronos, 17 July 2004.
[71] “Niger, iniziato trasferimento delle salme dei turisti italiani” (“Niger starts transfer of Italian tourist corpses”), Repubblica (daily newspaper), 5 January 2003. Friends, family and colleagues of one of the fatalities, a renowned eye surgeon, started a fundraising initiative through the Italian Campaign for an Intersos mine clearance project in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
[72] “Several injured as Italian military vehicle hits mine in Afghan southeast,” Islamic Republic of Iran External Service, 26 April 2003.