CANADA: OTTAWA: ANTI LANDMINE TREATY CONFERENCE OPENS

(2 Dec 1997) English/Nat

The three day signing ceremony for the ban on landmines opened in Ottawa, in Canada on Tuesday.

The Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy, who is chairing the conference, said the participating countries must now work to clear minefields and assist victims.

The treaty will ban the use, stockpile, manufacture and export of anti-personnel mines.

Tuesday's opening ceremony took place at the Government conference centre in Ottawa.

Representatives from more than 100 nations had gathered in Canada's capital to sign a treaty banning the sale, use and production of mines.

Also present were representatives of non-governmental and voluntary organisations who have helped to make the treaty a reality.

Canadian Foreign Minister, Lloyd Axworthy, in his opening speech, praised their work.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"When I issued a challenge in this room just over a year ago to return to Ottawa to sign this treaty I confessed to be unsure of the results, but it was a risk worth taking because in the room at that time we saw a desire, a need and a real possibility that the treaty could be negotiated."
SUPER CAPTION: Lloyd Axworthy, Canadian Foreign Minister

The actual signing of the treaty will take place on Wednesday and Thursday.

About 120 countries are expected to sign, and 40 of them must then ratify the treaty for it to go into effect.

Axworthy said future generations would thank them for joining the ban.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The signing of this historic treaty at the very end of this century is this generation's pledge to the future, it's a bridge across the millenial divide."
SUPER CAPTION: Lloyd Axworthy, Canadian Foreign Minister

Among those attending was Jody Williams, who shared the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize with her organisation, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines.

Among the countries who say they won't sign are many of those most involved in either producing or using mines including Russia, China, the United States, Israel, India and Pakistan.

The Democratic senator for Vermont - the home state of Jody Williams, said he believed the U-S Defence Department was to blame for his country's refusal to sign.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"President Clinton and I have spoken many time about this, he's a man I admire, although I disagree with him on this. There is no doubt that he wanted very much to sign this treaty, but the exceptions demanded by the Pentagon were not simply minor modifications as some have claimed. Our Department of Defence would have seriously weakened the treaty and delayed its implementation for another decade. To me their objections were totally and completely unacceptable."
SUPER CAPTION: Patrick Leahy, U-S Senator, (Vermont, Democrat)

Experts estimated there are between 60 (m) million and 120 (m) million active landmines scattered around the globe.

The International Red Cross estimates eight hundred people are killed and 12 hundred maimed by mines every month.

De-mining is a slow and dangerous labour intensive job that costs up to one thousand dollars per mine.

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