Update 7 - Consideration of the Final Document, 22 September 2006

MAIN POINTS OF DICUSSION

Final Report of the 7th Meeting of the States Parties

ICBL PRESENTATIONS

• The ICBL spoke in favor of a provisional agreement on Canada’s proposed template for mine clearance deadline extension requests with finalization by the April 2007 Intersessional Standing Committee meetings.

HIGHLIGHTS FOR ICBL

• The Final Report of the 7th Meeting of the States Parties and the Geneva Progress Report were approved, including the following decisions:
  • The 2007 Intersessional Standing Committee meetings will take place from 23-27 April in Geneva
  • Jordan will host the 8th Meeting of the States Parties from 18-22 November 2007
  • Co-rapporteurs for the Standing Committees for 2006-07 will be:
    • General Status of the Convention: Germany & Kenya
    • Mine Clearance: Canada & Peru
    • Victim Assistance: New Zealand & Cambodia
    • Stockpile Destruction: Lithuania & Serbia
• States Parties agreed to establish a process for preparing, receiving and reviewing Article 5 mine clearance deadline extension requests.
• States Parties agreed to work further on Canada’s proposed voluntary template for Article 5 requests with a view to finalizing it at the April 2007 Intersessional Standing Committee meetings so that it could be used by any state seeking an extension from that point on. It would be formally approved at the 8MSP.
• States Parties agreed on a voluntary statement to be used by those states that have finished their Article 5 clearance obligations.

CONCERNS FOR ICBL

• Turkey diverted much of the Meeting’s time, attention and effort by trying to insert a sentence into the Geneva Progress report opposing the use of the Mine Ban Treaty to promote terrorism. Turkey was allowed in the end to attach a statement of its views to the Geneva Progress Report.
• France delayed agreement on the Final Report due to its opposition to the proposed template for mine clearance deadline extension requests.