Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword by Cornelio Sommaruga, President, International Committee of the Red Cross
- Foreword by Ambassador Jacob S. Selebi, South Africa
- Foreword by Ambassador Johan Molander, Sweden
- Introduction
- PART 1 FROM PRINCIPLES TO RULES: REGULATING MINES UP TO THE 1980 CONVENTION ON CERTAIN CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS
- PART 2 THE REVIEW CONFERENCE OF THE 1980 CONVENTION ON CERTAIN CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS: AN INITIAL RESPONSE TO THE LANDMINE CRISIS
- PART 3 THE OTTAWA PROCESS FROM REGIONAL INITIATIVES TO AN INTERNATIONAL PROHIBITION OF ANTI-PERSONNEL MINES
- 1 Introduction
- 2 The International Strategy Conference Towards a Global Ban on Anti-personnel Mines, Ottawa, Canada, 3–5 October 1996
- 3 United Nations General Assembly, 1996
- 4 ICRC Position Paper No. 4 – December 1997, Landmines: Crucial Decisions in 1997
- 5 Expert Meeting on the Convention for the Prohibition of Antipersonnel Mines, Vienna, Austria, 12–14 February 1997
- 6 Fourth International Non-governmental Organization Conference on Landmines: Toward a Mine-Free Southern Africa, Maputo, Mozambique, 25–28 February 1997
- 7 Seminar on Anti-Personnel Landmines and Their Humanitarian Implications, Budapest, Hungary, 7 March 1997
- 8 1997: The Year of a Treaty Banning Anti-personnel Mines?
- 9 ICRC Regional Seminar for States of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), Harare, Zimbabwe, 21–23 April 1997
- 10 International Meeting of Experts on the Possible Verification of a Comprehensive International Treaty Prohibiting Anti-Personnel Landmines,Bonn, Germany, 24–25 April 1997
- 11 OAU Conference on a Landmine-free Africa: The OAU and the Legacy of Anti-personnel Mines, Johannesburg, South Africa, 19–21 May 1997
- 12 Debate on Landmines at the Angolan Parliament, Luanda, Angola, 23 May 1997
- 13 International Conference for a Global Ban on Anti-personnel Landmines, Brussels,Belgium, 24–27 June 1997
- 14 The Third Austrian Draft of the Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-personnel Mines,May 1997
- 15 Anti-Personnel Mines: What Future for Asia? Regional Seminar for Asian Military and Strategic Studies Experts,Manila, The Philippines, 20–23 July 1997
- 16 Diplomatic Conference on an International Total Ban on Anti-personnel Landmines, Oslo,Norway, 1–18 September 1997
- 17 A Global Ban on Landmines: Treaty Signing Conference and Mine Action Forum, Ottawa,Canada, 2–4 December 1997
- 18 ICRC Position Paper No. 5 – January 1998, Anti-personnel Mines: Agenda 1998 – From Prohibition to Elimination and Adequate Care for the Victims
- 19 Regional Conference on Landmines, Budapest, Hungary, 26–28 March 1998
- 20 Implementing the Ottawa Treaty: Questions and Answers
- 21 An International Ban on Anti-personnel Mines: History and Negotiation of the ‘Ottawa Treaty’, article by S.Maslen and P.Herby
- 22 The Entry into Force of the Ottawa Treaty
- 23 The First Meeting of States Parties to the Ottawa Treaty,Maputo, Mozambique, 3–7 May 1999
- 24 Regional Conference on Landmines, Zagreb, Croatia, 27–29 June 1999
- 25 South Asia Regional Seminar on Landmines, Wadduwa, Sri Lanka, 18–20 August 1999
- Index
4 - ICRC Position Paper No. 4 – December 1997, Landmines: Crucial Decisions in 1997
from PART 3 - THE OTTAWA PROCESS FROM REGIONAL INITIATIVES TO AN INTERNATIONAL PROHIBITION OF ANTI-PERSONNEL MINES
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 December 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword by Cornelio Sommaruga, President, International Committee of the Red Cross
- Foreword by Ambassador Jacob S. Selebi, South Africa
- Foreword by Ambassador Johan Molander, Sweden
- Introduction
- PART 1 FROM PRINCIPLES TO RULES: REGULATING MINES UP TO THE 1980 CONVENTION ON CERTAIN CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS
- PART 2 THE REVIEW CONFERENCE OF THE 1980 CONVENTION ON CERTAIN CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS: AN INITIAL RESPONSE TO THE LANDMINE CRISIS
- PART 3 THE OTTAWA PROCESS FROM REGIONAL INITIATIVES TO AN INTERNATIONAL PROHIBITION OF ANTI-PERSONNEL MINES
- 1 Introduction
- 2 The International Strategy Conference Towards a Global Ban on Anti-personnel Mines, Ottawa, Canada, 3–5 October 1996
- 3 United Nations General Assembly, 1996
- 4 ICRC Position Paper No. 4 – December 1997, Landmines: Crucial Decisions in 1997
- 5 Expert Meeting on the Convention for the Prohibition of Antipersonnel Mines, Vienna, Austria, 12–14 February 1997
- 6 Fourth International Non-governmental Organization Conference on Landmines: Toward a Mine-Free Southern Africa, Maputo, Mozambique, 25–28 February 1997
- 7 Seminar on Anti-Personnel Landmines and Their Humanitarian Implications, Budapest, Hungary, 7 March 1997
- 8 1997: The Year of a Treaty Banning Anti-personnel Mines?
- 9 ICRC Regional Seminar for States of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), Harare, Zimbabwe, 21–23 April 1997
- 10 International Meeting of Experts on the Possible Verification of a Comprehensive International Treaty Prohibiting Anti-Personnel Landmines,Bonn, Germany, 24–25 April 1997
- 11 OAU Conference on a Landmine-free Africa: The OAU and the Legacy of Anti-personnel Mines, Johannesburg, South Africa, 19–21 May 1997
- 12 Debate on Landmines at the Angolan Parliament, Luanda, Angola, 23 May 1997
- 13 International Conference for a Global Ban on Anti-personnel Landmines, Brussels,Belgium, 24–27 June 1997
- 14 The Third Austrian Draft of the Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-personnel Mines,May 1997
- 15 Anti-Personnel Mines: What Future for Asia? Regional Seminar for Asian Military and Strategic Studies Experts,Manila, The Philippines, 20–23 July 1997
- 16 Diplomatic Conference on an International Total Ban on Anti-personnel Landmines, Oslo,Norway, 1–18 September 1997
- 17 A Global Ban on Landmines: Treaty Signing Conference and Mine Action Forum, Ottawa,Canada, 2–4 December 1997
- 18 ICRC Position Paper No. 5 – January 1998, Anti-personnel Mines: Agenda 1998 – From Prohibition to Elimination and Adequate Care for the Victims
- 19 Regional Conference on Landmines, Budapest, Hungary, 26–28 March 1998
- 20 Implementing the Ottawa Treaty: Questions and Answers
- 21 An International Ban on Anti-personnel Mines: History and Negotiation of the ‘Ottawa Treaty’, article by S.Maslen and P.Herby
- 22 The Entry into Force of the Ottawa Treaty
- 23 The First Meeting of States Parties to the Ottawa Treaty,Maputo, Mozambique, 3–7 May 1999
- 24 Regional Conference on Landmines, Zagreb, Croatia, 27–29 June 1999
- 25 South Asia Regional Seminar on Landmines, Wadduwa, Sri Lanka, 18–20 August 1999
- Index
Summary
Decisions made in 1997 on how to build on the momentum for a ban on anti-personnel landmines will decide the fate of tens of thousands of innocent civilians in the coming years. Potential victims include children whose limbs may be torn apart by mines laid in 1997, families which will go hungry unless their land is cleared, and young men and women who have already lost limbs and whose hope for a brighter future is contingent upon access to rehabilitative care.
Whether, and for how long, the carnage caused by landmines continues will depend on the priority which governments, the media and the public give in 1997 to taking dramatic action to end this crisis in countries around the world.
In October 1996, 50 States met in Ottawa and pledged to work together, regionally and globally, for a total ban on anti-personnel mines and to increase by a significant amount the resources available for mine clearance and assistance to victims. This has provided a unique opportunity to adopt far-reaching measures in 1997, including a legal ban on these pernicious weapons.
At the UN General Assembly last December, 155 countries supported a call for a new treaty completely outlawing these weapons (resolution A/51/45 S). None voted against. The Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs has invited States back to Ottawa in December 1997 to sign such a treaty. Several governments are planning to host conferences with a view to accelerating mine clearance, improving assistance for victims and negotiating a ban. Countries in Central America will begin implementing plans for the world‘s first regional zone free of anti-personnel mines.
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- Chapter
- Information
- The Banning of Anti-Personnel LandminesThe Legal Contribution of the International Committee of the Red Cross 1955–1999, pp. 495 - 500Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2000