Author(s):
Chayer Amelie <amelie@icbl.org> .
Monday 20 July 2009
From 29 June to 3 July 2009, Ambassador Satnam Jit Singh, Diplomatic Advisor to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, visited Mongolia to discuss the country's accession to the Mine Ban Treaty. This was the ICBL's second visit; Ambassador Singh had earlier visited Mongolia in September 2005.
ICBL Ambassador Satnam Jit Singh, Mongolian Foreign Minister Sukhbaatar Batbold, and ICBL campaigner Burmaa Radnaa from Women for Social Progress.
In October 2004, Mongolia publicly declared its intention to join the Mine Ban Treaty before the end of 2008, following a 'step-by-step' approach. A promising start was made with Mongolia releasing information about the nature of the country's landmine stockpile, but progress slowed down and Mongolia missed the 2008 deadline for accession.
Ambassador Singh's recent visit focused on sensitizing Mongolian officials to the desirability of acceding to the Treaty prior to the Cartagena Summit, to be held in November this year. During his visit, Ambassador Singh met with high officials concerned with the mine ban policy, including Ministers for Defense and Foreign Affairs, Presidential Advisors for National Security and Foreign Affairs, Head of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defense and Foreign Affairs, First Deputy Chief of General Staff as well as Head of Strategic Planning Department, Ministry of Defense.
In speaking to key officials, Ambassador Singh focused on the relative ease with which Mongolia would be able to comply with the treaty by destroying the country's relatively small and obsolescent stockpile of antipersonnel mines, with technical and financial assistance to be provided by the international community following Mongolia's accession. He also stressed Mongolia's credentials as a liberal democracy and the country's responsibility to contribute to the solution of the pressing humanitarian problem of landmines by acceding to the treaty at the earliest opportunity.
Key Mongolian political leaders and officials reiterated their support on the issue and promised to upgrade their efforts towards the country's accession, though some reservations still seemed to linger on at certain levels among defense forces. On the whole, Ambassador Singh found the political environment more favorable than ever before on the issue.
Ambassador Singh's visit follows a Canadian mission led by Colonel John McBride in April 2009, in which the next 'step' of Mongolia's accession was agreed. Accordingly, a technical expert is due to visit Ulaanbataar in July to make an assessment on an efficient, effective, and eco-friendly way to destroy the antipersonnel landmine stockpile.
Ambassador Singh also briefed local journalists about Mongolia's expected contribution in universalizing the treaty. ICBL's local partner, 'Women for Social Progress', led by highly influential Burmaa Radnaa, extended full support to Ambassador Singh's visit.
