The General Meeting of the ICBL condemns the use of AP mines by the Yugoslav government in Kosovo and raises its concern over the bombing by NATO, in particular the use of weapons that may have similar effects to AP mines. The ICBL is deeply concerned over the plight of civilians on all sides in the conflict in Yugoslavia and calls on all parties to fully comply with international law and international humanitarian law, in particular the 1997 Ottawa Treaty. The ICBL calls on NATO states to adopt a policy of no use of AP mines in its operations and expresses its strongest concern that the United States has indicated that it reserves the right to use AP mines in the conflict.
All NATO nations except the U.S. and Turkey have signed the ban treaty. The ICBL raises its concern over U.S. mines stored in NATO countries (Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Spain and the United Kingdom) and the possibility of U.S. transit of AP mines through those or other signatory countries. The ICBL believes such transit constitutes a violation of the treaty. The ICBL also calls on the Yugoslav government to cease its continued use of antipersonnel mines. It calls for assistance to the Kosovar refugees, especially with regard to mine awareness and mine action programmes on their return once a peaceful resolution of the conflict has been achieved.
While the Kosovo-NATO situation is of immediate concern, the ICBL condemns ALL use of AP mines in ANY circumstances, particularly ongoing use by Angola, as a ban treaty signatory.
Sign and Ratify the Treaty * Clear Mines * Help Survivors
Liz Bernstein
International Campaign to Ban Landmines
PO Box 2189
Maputo
Mozambique
Tel 258 1 49 39 81/2
Fax 258 1 49 39 80
email: banemnow@icbl.org
http://www.icbl.org
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