Written Answers. - Anti-Personnel Mines.
Michael D. Higgins
Question:
23
Mr. M. Higgins
asked the
Minister for Foreign Affairs
the action the Government has taken to pursue the objectives of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention since it came in to effect on 1 March 1999; if he will follow the example of the Canadian ambassador by appointing an ambassador for mine action to promote the global ban on such mines, encourage the development of alternatives in terms of military doctrine and technology, reduce stockpiles and fund mine clearance and assist mine victims.
[13069/00]
As the Deputy will be aware, Ireland was one of the core group of countries which led the negotiation of the mine ban convention, and was one of the first three countries to sign and ratify the treaty, on the day it opened for signature, 3 December 1997. Since then, we have maintained our commitment by advocating the convention's full implementation and seeking to secure the signatures – and ratification – of all states.
One indication of our commitment was the participation at the first meeting of states parties to the convention in Maputo in May last year of the then Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Andrews, one of the few Foreign Ministers to attend. In the preparations for that meeting, and during the meeting itself, Ireland was actively engaged in the drafting of the meeting's final declaration and the programme of work for the per iod leading up to the next meeting of states parties, which will be held in September this year.
Officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs have participated in the intersessional work undertaken on foot of the meeting of states parties, most notably in seeking to develop clarity in relation to devices which might function as anti-personnel mines. This work is crucial to ensuring that there is no weakening of the goals of the convention.
Ireland has also given its full support to the development of the landmine monitor report, a civil-society based initiative to monitor the convention's implementation. In addition to providing over £100,000 towards the cost of producing the first report, Ireland hosted, in September 1998, the meeting of NGOs which launched the monitoring system. Since the launch of the first annual report at the first meeting of states parties last year, we have continued to offer our support to the initiative, participating once again this year in the meetings designed to assist researchers in producing their country reports. The second report of the monitor will be issued at the second meeting of states parties in September 2000.
The amount of assistance which we have provided to mine action, including mine awareness, demining and victim assistance, has increased substantially over the years. Last year, Irish contributions amounted to £1,516,000. Projects were funded in Kosovo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cambodia, Angola and Somalia and included demining, mine awareness and victim support programmes.
I pay tribute to the role of Canada, another member of the core group of countries, for its efforts to achieve the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel landmines. Canada remains very active in this area. Canada is able, however, to devote significantly greater resources to disarmament work than we can. Much as we might wish to appoint a special official at ambassadorial level to promote these activities, the level of available resources would not permit this.
