10MSP Summary - Destroying Stockpiled Mines (2 December)

Indonesia, speaking on behalf of itself and Bulgaria, the co-chairs of the Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, expressed hope that the four States Parties with outstanding obligations will meet them quickly, will report on progress regularly, and will provide a plan for compliance, including a projected completion date, as soon as possible.

Belarus gave updates on the status of destruction of PFM-1 type mines in collaboration with the European Commission, and announced that a tendering process was concluded and a company was selected in October 2010 to implement the destruction activities. No timetable was announced for beginning or ending the project, however.

Greece announced that it is currently investigating the 480 mine discrepancy between mines sent for destruction and mines reported destroyed by the Bulgarian company sub-contracted to carry out the destruction. As reported in June 2010, the contract with the Greek company EAS was terminated as a result of delays, and a legal action by the company is currently in process in the Greek courts. The Greek Ministry of Defense is unable to award a new contract for the destruction of the 951,946 mines remaining in stock until the pending legal proceedings progress and it is known what compensation will be awarded to the Bulgarian company. Greece announced that in 2010, 1,066 mines retained for training or development had been destroyed, leaving 6,158 mines retained. Bulgaria spoke in response, stating that both countries are working together to clarify the issue of the 480 missing mines.

Turkey gave a brief update, which it said would be its last on this topic, as all mines, with the exception of 22,000 ADAM mines needing special treatment during destruction, had been destroyed. It announced it has negotiated a contact with NAMSA for the destruction of the remaining mines.

Ukraine called for continued and increased international support from current or potential donors, but acknowledged its own responsibility in destroying its 6 million remaining mines. It reported that more than 154,000 PFM mines were destroyed in the research of technology for destroying PFM mines. It announced that the Pavlograd facility was ready to start destruction in the first trimester of 2011, and over 1 million PFM mines were expected to be destroyed per year. Ukraine announced that Norway will provide up to $1 million in 2010-11, and that with those funds, a possible 6 million euros from the EU under discussion, a possible NATO PFP trust fund project, and past support from EU partners, it hopes to shorten the expected destruction time.

The floor was then opened and statements were heard from Germany, Norway, Australia, Ireland, Turkey and the ICRC. The ICBL expressed serious concern that the states still had not finished destroying their mines, no firm date commitments have yet been made for coming back into compliance with the treaty, and that only Turkey had made significant progress in destroying its mines in 2010. The ICBL called on the four States Parties with outstanding deadlines to provide monthly updates on progress, and on all other States Parties to proactively provide political, technical, financial, or other resources to help finish destruction without delay.

In addition, during the session on transparency and exchange of information on 3 December, Iraq said it had completed the destruction of the stockpile of 690 mines mentioned in its transparency report submitted in 2009 and committed to destroying any new stocks that may be discovered.