| <HUNGARY | IRELAND > |
The Republic of Iceland signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 4 December 1997 and ratified it on 5 May 1999, becoming a State Party on 1 November 1999. National implementation legislation was enacted on 7 May 2001.[1] Violations are punishable by a fine or up to two years imprisonment, which, if grave or repeated, can be up to four years.[2]
Iceland did not attend the Third Meeting of States Parties in September 2001 in Managua, Nicaragua, nor the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in January or May 2002. On 29 November 2001, Iceland cosponsored and voted for United Nations General Assembly Resolution 56/24M in support of the Mine Ban Treaty.
Iceland’s initial Article 7 transparency report was not submitted by the deadline of 29 April 2000. An Article 7 Report for the period 1999 to 2002 was submitted on 29 May 2002. This report notes as “N/A” all questions regarding stockpiles, transfer, destruction, mined areas, and so forth. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed previous statements that there are no stockpiles of antipersonnel mines in Iceland, and that they have never been manufactured.[3]
Iceland has no military forces of its own, but is a member of NATO and has a bilateral defense agreement with the United States. In June 2002, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to express any view on joint military operations with non-party States.[4]
Iceland is not a State Party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons.
During 2001 and the start of 2002 Iceland did not contribute financial or other assistance to any mine action program. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs notes that Iceland participates in NATO peace-support operations in the Balkans, which include demining activities.[5]
| <HUNGARY | IRELAND > |
[1] Article 7 Report, Form A, submitted on 29 May 2002 for the period 1999-2002.
[2] Email from Haukur Ólafsson, Minister-Counselor, Political Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2 July 2002. Violations are dealt with according to provisions in Chapter III of the Icelandic Penal Code.
[3] Email from Haukur Ólafsson, Minister-Counselor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 7 June 2002.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
