Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 24 Mar 1992

Vol. 417 No. 5

Written Answers. - Conventional Weapons Control.

Jim O'Keeffe

Ceist:

303 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether, in light of the enormous suffering of Cambodians from the presence of hundreds of thousands of landmines in their country, this country supports the call for an international ban on the manufacture, possession, transfer, sale and use of landmines; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Andrews)

The Government shares the Deputy's concern in this matter. The widespread presence of landmines throughout the Cambodian countryside is undoubtedly a considerable hazard for the local inhabitants and a major obstacle to the safe return of the thousands of refugees from Thailand to Cambodia. This very serious problem is fully recognised by the international community and by the United Nations. The UN is taking steps to ensure that border crossings and routes are cleared of mines and other hazards, in accorance with the terms of the Comprehensive Political Settlement.

The United National convention on prohibitions or restrictions on the use of certain conventional weapons which may be deemed to be excessively injurious or to have indiscriminate effects, which was opened for signature in 1981, prohibits the indiscrimate use of mines in particular in areas where there is a high concentration of civilians.

Ireland is a signatory of this convention and strongly supports its provisions.

The Government believe firmly in the need for restraint in the manufacture, possession, transfer and sale of all conventional weapons. The European Council in Luxembourg in June 1991 adopted a Declaration on Non-Proliferation and Arms Exports which expressed the European Council's alarm at the stockpiling of conventional weapons in certain regions of the world and the council's belief that far-reaching international action was needed immediately to promote restraint and transparency in the transfers of conventional weapons and of technologies for military use, in particular towards areas of tension.

Together with her European Community partners and Japan, Ireland tabled a resolution at the United Nations last year which called for the establishment of a United Nations register of armaments which would initially include information on transfers of certain categories of conventional weapons. Later on, it is envisaged that the register will be expanded to include other information on armaments and the categories of armaments to which the register applies may also be extended. The Government would welcome the inclusion of landmines in the scope of the register and will give serious consideration to such a proposal at the appropriate time.