ICBL Daily Update #2 from the 4MSP

Author/Origin: Liz Bernstein banemnow@icbl.org

(Wednesday 18 September 2002 Geneva, Switzerland) A summary of the events of the third day of the Fourth Meeting of States Parties taking place in Geneva 16-20 September.

Today was the fifth anniversary of the adoption of the Mine Ban Treaty in Oslo!

The Fourth Meeting of States Parties (4MSP) continued with extensive discussions on the review of General Status and Operation of the Convention, chaired by 4MSP President Ambassador Jean Lint of Belgium, and the Standing Committee co-chairs, Ambassadors Laxanachanthorn Laohaphan and Steffen Kongstad of Thailand and Norway respectively. Interventions by States Parties, other states, the ICBL, the ICRC and other were so numerous that the session carried over into the afternoon.

The session first covered the general status of implementation, with Ambassador Lint giving an overview of the significant progress that has been made since the Mine Ban Treaty was adopted in Oslo five years ago to the day. The challenges ahead to fully implement the Convention and the importance of meeting obligatory deadlines was emphasized.

The chair of the ICBL Treaty Working Group, Steve Goose, opened his intervention by wishing everyone a happy 5th Anniversary particularly Ambassador Kongstad who played a key role during the negotiations. Steve thanked the many delegations which had cited the importance of Landmine Monitor (LM) and to the President for including LM in his remarks. Steve then said that the status of implementation has been done through the LM and that he did not intend to read all 1000 pages at the 4MSP. This was met with gratitude from the President and appreciative laughter from the States gathered. Steve said that the key question is whether States Parties are meeting their obligations regarding no use, production or trade and this year we have good news because there have been no violations by any State Party in these key areas.

This does not mean that there are not challenges ahead, he said. Of particular note are:

• Stockpile destruction deadlines beginning next year;
• Mine clearance deadlines by 2009;
• Article 7 reporting – 26 initial reports are late as well as some annual updates;
• Article 9 – implementing legislation has not been adopted in enough countries;
• There is a need for increased resources under Article 6, particularly for victim assistance.

Read the full statement here.

The session continued with a review of universalisation presented by Canada with interventions from the floor by Austria, Comoros, Nicaragua, the ICBL, the ICRC and Geneva Call.

Next, followed the review of the intersessional work programme, which was introduced by Ambassador Kongstad, who presented the list of new Standing Committee Co-Chairs and Co-Rapporteurs (2002-2003):

• Standing Committee on Mine Clearance: Belgium and Kenya (Co-Chairs), Cambodia and Japan (Co-Rapporteurs);
• Standing Committee on Victim Assistance: Colombia and France, Croatia and Australia;
• Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction: Romania and Switzerland, Guatemala and Italy;
• Standing Committee on General Status and Operations: Austria and Peru, Mexico and Netherlands.

Visit the Intersessional pages.

The dates for the intersessional meetings next year will be 3 – 7 February and 12 – 16 May. Cecilia Sanchez, as Friend of the 4MSP President on the intersessional work programme (IWP) that she hoped the Presidents and the IWP would form the basis for the future work of the intersessionals with a focus on the core humanitarian objectives of victim assistance, mine clearance, stockpile destruction and universalisation. Interventions from the floor on IWP were then made by Brazil and Canada.

The next agenda item was the Coordinating Committee presented by its Chairs, Cecilia Sanchez representing the 3MSP Presidency, Nicaragua. A report on the Implementation Support Unit (ISU)was then presented by director of the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining, Martin Dahinden and Kerry Brinkert, the ISU manager. Interventions from the floor expressing appreciation for the important work of the ISU were made by: Honduras, Peru, Italy, Ireland and Nicaragua. The ICBL made a short statement on the IWP, CC and ISU, expressing appreciation for the ongoing close partnership.

The Sponsorship Programme was presented by Canada and followed by interventions from Senegal, Benin and Nicaragua.

The Review Conference preparatory process was introduced on the basis of a President’s Paper and a mandate given the 4MSP to undertake consultation to begin a process to prepare for the Convention’s first Review Conference, in 2004. Interventions were made from the floor: Brazil, Japan, Malaysia, Austria, Canada, South Africa, ICRC, Argentina, Cambodia, UK and Australia.

The next agenda items included review and discussion of the various articles of the convention, with key issues covered in the ICBL statement to the 4MSP. Interventions from the floor included:

• Article 1: Brazil, ICBL, Malaysia and Mexico;
• Article 2: Brazil, ICRC, Czech Republic, Germany, Mexico, UK, Netherlands, ICBL, Norway, Austria and Japan;
• Article 3: Sweden, ICBL, Argentina, Austria, Netherlands, Luxembourg;
• Article 7: Austria, Venezuela, Lithuania, Ghana, Senegal, Nicaragua, Costa Rica;
• Article 8: presented by Canada, interventions by: ICBL and Vertic;
• Article 9: ICRC, Rwanda and Argentina.

This ended the discussion on the General Status and Operation of the Treaty. The remaining statements for the session on General Exchange of Views followed and included inputs by: Albania, Guinea Bissau, Jordan, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, ICBL, GICHD, Ukraine, Sudan, Poland, Burundi, Cyprus, Georgia, Turkey, Finland, Organization of American States and UNMAS.