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GREECE
Key developments since May 2000: In April 2001, the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs jointly announced with his Turkish counterpart that Greece, a signatory, and Turkey, a non-signatory, would simultaneously adhere to the Mine Ban Treaty. As one of a number of cooperative activities, Greece will demine its side of the border with Turkey. Greece continues to clear mines from its borders with Albania, Bulgaria, and Macedonia.
Greece signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997 but has yet to ratify. On 6 April 2001, George Papandreou, Greece’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, made a joint announcement with his Turkish counterpart that both countries “have decided to concurrently start the procedures that will make both sides parties to the Ottawa Convention [Mine Ban Treaty]. For this purpose, while Greece initiates the ratification process, Turkey will start accession procedures. It is also agreed that the instruments of ratification by Greece and accession by Turkey will be simultaneously deposited with the Secretary General of the United Nations in due course.”[1] This initiative was widely welcomed internationally.[2] This forms part of a number of new cooperative activities between the two countries, including removal of antipersonnel mines on the Greek side of the border.[3]
The formal announcement represents a major advance from the previously stated position, which stressed the pre-conditions before the ratification process could commence.[4] Concern had also been expressed about regional instability, particularly on Greece’s eastern border with Turkey.[5] The joint statement of 6 April 2001 is remarkable because it transforms this concern into the means of achieving ratification.
Political parties in Greece have not campaigned strongly on the landmine issue. In January 2001 two of the major political parties were asked for their positions on the issue. Synaspismos, a Left-Green coalition, has said orally that they are in favor of a total ban and ratification of the Mine Ban Treaty as soon as possible, but have not put this in writing as requested. The right-wing party Nea Demokratia did not respond to faxes and telephone calls.
Greece attended the Second Meeting of States Parties in September 2000 as an observer, but made no statement. In December 2000, Colonel Ioannis Tsinas, a liaison officer between Greece’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense, participated in the intersessional Standing Committee meetings, and Greece participated again in the May 2001 meetings. Greece had not previously participated in any Standing Committee meetings. Greece voted in favor of the November 2000 UN General Assembly resolution supporting the Mine Ban Treaty, as it had in previous years.
Greece is party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) and its Amended Protocol II, and attended the Second Annual Conference for Amended Protocol II in December 2000. The Greek delegation co-sponsored a proposal supported by many other countries to consider amending the CCW in order to deal with the problem of explosive remnants of war. Greece submitted the annual report required by Article 13 of Amended Protocol II in December 1999 (giving minimal information).[6] As of June 2000, the Article 13 report for 2000 had not been submitted.[7] By late March 2001, the annual report on landmine-related matters for 2000 to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) had also not been submitted. Greece attended the regional conference on landmines in Ljubljana, Slovenia in June 2000.
Elaborating on previously reported information,[8] the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in February 2001 that the moratorium on the production and transfer of antipersonnel mines has not required legislation because administrative measures have been taken to refuse the licenses required for the manufacture and export of mines. Also, Greece is aware of the provisions of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, which requires signatory States even before ratification not to take any action that would undermine the object or purpose of the treaty. Greece did not import mine delivery systems and antitank mines from Germany; this order was cancelled.[9]
Officials told Landmine Monitor that a previous estimate of 1.5 million antipersonnel mines being held in stockpiles was too high, but more precise information was not provided.[10]
Mines dating from the Greek Civil War (1947-1949) are to be found along the northern border. Mines are also found along the border with Bulgaria and the Greek/Turkish border along the Evros River.
Details of demining programs and minefield marking have not been reported officially.[11] However, mine clearance is proceeding along the western Macedonian and Epirus (Albanian) borders, with the estimated 400,000 mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) left over from the Greek Civil War and the Cold War being lifted by hand. This operation is made difficult by the mountainous terrain, bad weather, and the fact that the minefields are not mapped. Suspicious areas are fenced off, then cleared, and the units then move on to the next suspicious area. In spite of the difficulties, the mines are described as generally fairly easy to detect, and there have been very few accidents since demining started in 1998.[12]
Cold War-era minefields on the Bulgarian border are mapped and marked, therefore demining is proceeding more quickly. In some cases these minefields are well away from the border.[13] Greece and Bulgaria agreed to demine their common border in November 1997, and Bulgaria declared its side to be mine-free in the autumn of 1999. In June 2000 the Greek Ministry of Defense calculated that it may take two or three years to complete its demining.[14]
Minefields on the Evros border between Greece and Turkey are described as well marked and fenced: barriers are one and a half times higher than the NATO standard, with three layers of barbed wire and illuminated every 10 meters, with signs in three languages.[15] There have previously been conflicting official statements about the minefields (and casualties) on this border.[16]
In May 2000 Greece hosted a NATO demining seminar in Thessaloniki,[17] which was attended by military personnel from neighboring countries and by international organizations. Another such seminar was scheduled for May 2001. There is no other information on Greek financial contributions or other assistance for mine action in 2000 or 2001. Previously, Greece has contributed to the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Clearance and has taken part in the Joint Action of EU Member States providing mine victim assistance.
Mine casualties continue to be reported. On 29 August 2000, it was reported that “a young Turkish man was killed by a landmine while crossing the Greek border with a Palestinian” and another report (which may include this incident) stated on 5 September 2000 that there were “three persons killed by mines the day before yesterday: two Turkish young men...who crossed illegally the Greek border.... Another person whose identity was not released, was killed yesterday in the same area according to the authorities. The killed person was with Ali Mohammed from Palestine, who when he heard the mine explosion stopped where he was until the Greek soldiers came to take him from mined area.”[18] The Foreign Ministry confirmed the incident, but said there were only two victims, both Turkish, suspected to be smugglers. The area was described as “particularly well marked and fenced.”[19] Casualties in previous incidents have usually been attributed to the activities of “people smugglers” responsible for the many migrants arriving illegally in Greece. In most cases the injured are put in prison and then deported back to Turkey.[20]
On 21 May 2001 it was reported that, according to Greek police, three immigrants were killed and one was wounded when they strayed into a minefield while trying to sneak across the Greek-Turkish border. One report of the incident said that “dozens of immigrants have been killed and injured after straying into [minefields] while attempting to cross the border.”[21] Another report indicated that one day later the bodies of two men evidently killed by landmines were found near the border with Turkey.[22]
There continues to be no central registry of mine incidents and casualties that is publicly available. There is emergency medical care for mine victims but no longer-term victim assistance.
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[1] Joint Statement by Ýsmail Cem, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, and George Papandreou, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic, on Anti-Personnel Land Mines, Ankara, 6 April 2001.
[2] For example, Canada’s Foreign Minister John Manley described it as “a bold step that will make a major contribution to confidence-building and stability in the region. It confirms that mine action is an effective measure and an aid to global security.” “Ottawa Applauds Turkish, Greek Commitment to Mine Treaty,” Agence France Presse, 13 April 2001; Elif Unal, “Turkey, Greece Agree to Clear Landmines,” Reuters, 6 April 2001.
[3] George Gilson, “Taking One Step Forward, Two Steps Back,” Athens News, 12 April 2001.
[4] See Landmine Monitor Report 2000, pp. 765-766.
[5] Interview with Ambassador Stefanou and Nikos Kanellos, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Col. Ioannis Tsinas, Ministry of Defense, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Athens, 13 February 2001.
[6] CCW, Amended Protocol II, Article 13 Report, 15 October 1999.
[7] On 13 February 2001 an assurance was given that the report would be submitted soon. Meeting between ICBL researchers and Greek Foreign Ministry in Athens, 13 February 2001.
[8] See Landmine Monitor Report 2000, p. 767.
[9] Interview with Ambassador Stefanou, Mr Kanellos, and Col. Ioannis Tsinas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Athens, 13 February 2001.
[10] Interview with Ambassador Stefanou, Mr Kanellos, and Col. Ioannis Tsinas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Athens, 13 February 2001.
[11] CCW Amended Protocol II Report, Form B, 15 October 1999.
[12] Interview with Ambassador Stefanou, Mr Kanellos, and Col. Ioannis Tsinas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Athens, 13 February 2001.
[13] Ibid.
[14] Faxed statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 14 June 2000.
[15] Interview with Ambassador Stefanou, Mr Kanellos, and Col. Ioannis Tsinas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Athens, 13 February 2001.
[16] See Landmine Monitor Report 2000, p. 768.
[17] Workshop on Regionally Focused Mine Action, South Eastern Europe Initiative, Thessaloniki, Greece 4-5 May 2000.
[18] Agence France Presse, 29 August 2000 and Sabah.com.tr (Turkish daily newspaper), 5 September 2000.
[19] Telephone interview with Col. Tsinas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Athens, 14 February 2001.
[20] Interview with Ambassador Stefanou, Mr Kanellos, and Col. Ioannis Tsinas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Athens, 13 February 2001.
[21] “Three killed after straying into minefield while crossing Greece-Turkey border,” Associated Press, Athens, 21 May 2001.
[22] “Migrants die in attempt to cross border,” Athens News, 25 May 2001.
