Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 30 Sep 1997

Vol. 480 No. 6

Written Answers - Anti-Landmine Treaty.

Liz McManus

Ceist:

36 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the negotiations in Oslo on the draft anti-landmine treaty; when it is intended that Ireland will ratify the treaty; the Government's view of the refusal of the United States to sign the treaty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14719/97]

Gay Mitchell

Ceist:

59 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps, if any, the Government has taken to secure the eradication of the use of landmines. [14602/97]

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

60 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has raised with the US authorities the failure of the United States to ratify the draft landmines treaty. [14737/97]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Burke):

I propose to take questions Nos. 36, 59 and 60 together.

The agreement that was reached at the negotiations in Oslo on a global convention banning anti-personnel landmines represents a major step forward in the struggle to eliminate these inmhumane and indiscriminate weapons which have been a major scourge. It will be particularly welcomed by those countries which have suffered so much as a result of the use of these barbaric devices. Under the Convention, landmines will be banned without reservations, without exceptions and for all time.

I am particularly pleased with this development, as I have long advocated the abolition of these horrific weapons and while in opposition I tabled a Private Member's Bill aimed at banning these weapons. Since taking office I have set the conclusion of a global ban on landmines as the immediate priority of Irish disarmament policy.

The Convention agreed at Oslo enjoyed the support of more than one hundred participating delegations, including in particular the mine affected countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America. Ireland, together with a core group of nations including Canada, Austria, Mexico and South Africa, at the Oslo Conference played a key role in bringing about agreement on the Convention text.

A number of significant states including Russia, China, India and Pakistan and two of our partners in the European Union, Greece and Finland, did not, despite our best efforts, participate in the conference. While the United States did participate, its delegation declared that it was not in a position to forego the production, stockpiling, transfer and use of anti-personnel mines for the foreseeable future. The vast majority of participating states at Oslo including Ireland would not agree to an exception which would have compromised the fundamental global approach we were pursuing, and would have defeated the goal of a total ban which we set out to achieve. The United States was the moving force behind a 1996 UN resolution calling for the total abolition of these weapons, and we still hope that by signing at Ottawa or soon afterwards, it will give concrete expression to its commitment to bring about an end to these hideous devices.

It is my intention to sign the Convention in Ottawa in December, where I will be examining with other foreign Ministers the ways in which we can promote the universalization of this Convention, in particular the early accession of the remaining states of the European Union and other states whose adherence to this Convention would be of significance. The Government intends to take the necessary measures to ensure that Ireland is among the first countries to ratify the Convention.

I pay tribute to the role played by the NGO community, in particular the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and its affiliates, in helping to bring about this major achievement. The International Committee of the Red Cross made a very valuable contribution to the negotiations.