Comments Received by Landmine Monitor

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Country: Liberia
Date Received: 31 Jul 2000

REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA
MINISTRY OF INFORMATION, CULTURE AND TOURISM

Liberia believes that landmines pose a perpetual threat to civil society. Its use is pernicious to the people.

The gruesome use of landmines has today left the world with millions of amputees and maimed children.

Coming out of a seven year civil war in which landmines were used on a minimal scale, we saw the horrendous impact it hand on our people. We pray that such devastation should never come our way as a people who have resolved never to experience war in our existence.

We therefore support the global programme to eliminate landmines.

Signed: Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism

Country: Pakistan
Date Received: 26 Jul 2000

EMBASSY OF PAKISTAN
2315 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE. N.W.
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20008

From : Sohail Mahmood
First Secretary
No. Pol-1/2/2000 July 26, 2000

Dear Mr. Goose,

I have the pleasure of enclosing a closed cover containing a letter addressed to you by Mr. Shahbaz, Director General (Disarmament), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad. This is in response to your letter of 26th June 2000, addressed to Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar regarding the Landmine Monitor Report.2000: Toward a Mine-Free World.

Yours Sincerely,
Signed Sohail Mahmood

Government of Pakistan
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Islamabad

NO. Dsmt-1/11/00

12 July 2000

Subject: Landmine Monitor Report 2000: Toward a Mine-Free World

My dear Program Director,

Please refer to your letter dated 29 June 2000 addressed to the Foreign Minister of Pakistan on the above subject.

We offer the following comments:

Pakistan is party to the Amended Protocol 11 on Mines, Booby-Traps and other Devices of the Certain Conventional Weapons Convention, and is fully abiding by its provisions. We believe that universal adherence to the Protocol will greatly help in saving innocent civilians from the scourge of landmines.
Pakistan's record with respect to the regulated use of landmines is second to none. This fact has been duly appreciated by the ICRC in its publication, "APLs -Friend or Foe". It is for this reason, landmine civilian casualties in Pakistan are almost non-existent, a fact duly acknowledged by the ICRC.
Pakistan fully subscribes to the goal of eventual elimination of landmines. Nevertheless, our peculiar defence situation, like that of so many other countries of the world, does not permit us to join the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti- Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction, unless a viable alternative to landmines for defence purposes is available. We are, however, not insensitive to humanitarian concerns in this regard.
Consistent with its humanitarian approach, Pakistan declared a unilateral moratorium on the export of APLs in March 1997. This moratorium was reinforced by the issuance of an appropriate notification by the Government of Pakistan on 25 February 1999 under the Import and Export ( Control ) Act, 1950, completely banning the export of A-PLS. Pakistan is also favourably inclined towards negotiating an international legal instrument against the transfer of APLs at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.
Pakistan has effectively participated in UN sponsored de-mining operations in Afghanistan, Kuwait, Cambodia and Angola. The international community will always find Pakistan in the fore-front of efforts for de-mining and rehabilitation-of landmines survivors.

I hope that our principled position on APLS, based on our genuine defence requirements and humanitarian concerns, will be adequately reflected in the upcoming report of Landmine Monitor.

Appreciating your cooperation, I remain

Yours sincerely,
(Signed) Shahbaz
Director General (Disarmament)

Country: Lesotho
Date Received: 07 Jul 2000

To: Mr. Noel Stott,
South African/International Campaign to Ban Landmines

From: L Mosala
Foreign Affairs
Maseru 100

7 July 2000

Dear Noel,

Re: LESOTHO AND LANDMINES - THE OTTAWA CONVENTION

I wish to refer to a draft report you sent us in May 2000 regarding the above for the purpose of sharing information with us on this very important issue of Landmines.

Indeed, Lesotho stands by its initial statement that it is totally mine-free and goes further to give the following clarification on some concerns you raised.

* Lesotho will be submitting its report in accordance with Article 7 before the sitting of the 2nd meeting of States Parties.
* Incidences referred to regarding the disturbances in 1998 as described by a purported LDF member have no basis. The Lesotho Defence Force does not, and has never at anytime kept stock of landmines. What may have been stolen at the time were mere hand-grenades. LDF does not even keep any landmines for training purposes.
* Training of LDF personnel on detonating or handling of landmines was done outside the country because Lesotho had no stock or knowledge of use of landmine. The purpose of their training was to enable them to counter the then Lesotho Liberation Army (LLA) which was operating from outside the country.
* Indeed there were victims of limpet mines in the 1980s but they were as a result of LLA operations launched from outside Lesotho. Such weapons belonged to the LLA. There are no reports of uncleared mines presently.
* LLA was disbanded outside the country and they came into Lesotho as ordinary citizens and as a result no stock taking of their weapons was made and the Government is not responsible for those arms wherever outside of Lesotho they may be.
* I will be coming back to your good self in due course as still some of the stakeholders have not responded.

I hope the above will give you a basis to revise and upgrade your draft.

Yours sincerely,
L. Mosala

Country: Georgia
Date Received: 06 Jul 2000

Georgia
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
06-07-2000 To: Mr. Stephen D. Goose
Program Director, Arms Division
Human Rights Watch
On behalf of the Landmine Monitor Core Group

Dear Mr. Goose,

I would like to express our gratitude for giving us an opportunity to make comments on the issue of landmine use on the territory of Georgia and I hope, that these comments will be included in the second annual report of Landmine Monitor - Landmine Monitor Report 2000: Toward a Mine-Free World.

I assure You, that the Georgian Military Forces has been strictly abstaining of laying landmines since long before than March of 1999. Unfortunately, as You are aware, certain parts of Georgia, including mentioned Abkhazia region are not under the control of the Government of Georgia, therefore we are not able to control any kind of military or paramilitary activities there. Neither the Government of Georgia is supporting or controlling the paramilitary units functioning on the above mentioned territories.

Currently, the Georgian government is experiencing some strong difficulties in finding technical and financial resources and skilled personnel necessary for carrying out the de-mining activities throughout its territory. Nevertheless, we are deeply concerned with the landmine problem and despite the present difficulties strive to find the ways out and try to deal with the problem even in the parts of Georgia, which are not currently under our control. One of the most successful efforts towards this direction is the demining activity carried out with the help of British Charity Organization, "the HALO Trust" in Abkahazia, Georgia. In foreseeable future the conclusion of a new agreement between Georgia and "the HALO Trust" is expected, which will further enlarge the scope of de-mining in this region.

Having stated the above mentioned, I would like to underline that Georgia has been a supporter of "Ottawa Process" and shares its ultimate goal of complete elimination of the landmines.

I would also like to reiterate our support to the International Campaign for Banning Landmines and express our will to reach on of the most important goals of mankind- world free of landmines.

Sincerely Yours,
Georgi Burduli
First Deputy Minister

Country: Cuba
Date Received: 19 Jun 2000

Statement of the Directorate of Multilateral Affairs of the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Landmine Monitor researcher, sent by email, 19 June 2000.

ATT.NOEL STTOT.
VERSION EN INGLES
INTRODUCTION

Cuba is not a State Party to the Convention on the Prohibition of Antipersonnel Landmines because, for the time being, it is not possible for it to fulfill the responsibilities deriving from that international legal instrument and mainly because the possession and use of antipersonnel landmines form part of the country's defense doctrine called "Peoples War".

The defense concept of the Republic of Cuba is the result of the Cuban people's willingness to defend its sovereignty and independence constantly threaten by the manifest hostility of nine Administrations of the United States of America, which have planned, promoted, encourage, supported, and carried out a vast number of aggressive and subversive actions against the Cuban people and Government.

However, on several occasions, the Cuban Government has publicly expressed that it understands and shares the humanitarian concerns caused by the indiscriminate and irresponsible use of antipersonnel landmines.

Likewise, Cuba has expressed its full support to the humanitarian efforts made by the international community to prevent or mitigate the effects of the indiscriminate use of this kind of weapons.

Although anonymously at times, Cuba has contributed in an actual and effective fashion to these humanitarian efforts: hundreds of Cuban volunteer doctors have provided and continue to provide medical assistance and treatment for thousands of persons injured by antipersonnel landmines in various parts of the world, including areas devastated by internal armed conflicts.

At present, just to cite an example, thousands of Cuban medical doctors are serving in 14 countries located in different geographical zones, such as Central America, the Caribbean and Africa as part of the Comprehensive Healthcare Delivery Program, whereby Cuba provides these nations with solidary medical cooperation.

INFORMATION ON SOME LEGAL REGULATIONS APPLIED IN CUBA TO CONTROL CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS

In Cuba, there are national regulations to control the use of antipersonnel landmines and of all the other kinds of weapon the country has.

Decree Law No. 52 on the Control of Firearms and License Procedures has been enacted since 1982. The licenses are issued to those persons meeting the established requirements, mainly those engaged in crime prevention duties.

The weapons intended for the protection and security of the State-owned economic entities are given on the basis of the values to be protected.

On 17 June 1998, the Council of State of the Republic of Cuba passed Decree Law No. 186 on Work Safety and Security Systems that, in accordance with its Article 1: ".... is aimed at establishing and monitoring Work Safety and Security Systems and related services".

Chapter VII of the aforementioned Decree Law establishes the following regulations, among others, for firearms and equipment of the members of the Service for Security and Protection:

Article 37: Security Enterprises and Groups are authorized to possess, use and custody firearms and personal equipment for their intended purposes, seeking prior approval from the Ministry of Interior and in accordance with standing legal provisions and regulations.
Article 38: Firearms are used only for the protection of the objectives and services they are intended to; thus prohibiting any kind of transfer, change of location or use for purposes other than the ones for which they were authorized, without prior approval from the Ministry of Interior.

More recently, on 16 February 1999, with the passing of Law No. 87, which modified the Penal Code, the national legislation regarding the illegal trafficking in arms, among many other issues, has been reinforced.

Article 11 of the aforementioned Law amends Articles 211 and 212 of the Penal Code sentencing any person who -- without legal authorization -- acquires, carries or possess a firearm to 2-5 year prison terms and to 3-8 year imprisonment if the person manufactures, sells or in any way facilitates another the possession of a firearm.

Article 11 also includes penalties ranging from three to eight-year prison terms for the first case and four to ten-years imprisonment for the second crime, if it is about a type of firearm for which no license is granted.

Chapter 2, Article 346 of the same Law, when referring to money laundering, provides from five to twelve years imprisonment to any person who acquires, exchanges or transfers any of his/her resources, properties or rights, or to any person pretending to carry out the aforementioned operations knowingly or not, or rationally supposing -- based on the occasion or circumstance in which the operation is conducted -- that these resources, properties or rights directly or indirectly derive from activities related to the illegal trafficking in drugs, weapons or persons or organized crime.

There is no a retail network in Cuba for weapons sale, including antipersonnel landmines, to legal or natural persons.

Cuba has neither exported nor is exporting mines and it has publicly expressed it. In 1996, United Nations Secretary General published a Report (A/51/313), dated 28 August 1996, under the provisions of Resolution 50/70 O of the United Nations General Assembly, entitled "Moratorium on the Export of Antipersonnel Landmines". This Report contains information provided by the Cuban Government expressing that Cuba has neither exported nor is exporting mines.

The Cuban Government has given convincing evidence of its readiness to participate actively in international negotiations for the implementation of a regime for the comprehensive ban on exports of all kinds of mines.

REASONS FOR THE LAYING OF MINES IN THE PERIMETER SURROUNDING THE GUANTANAMO NAVAL BASE, ILLEGALLY OCCUPIED BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

It is well known that there are mines planted in the perimeter surrounding the illegally occupied Guantnamo Naval Base; these mines were laid after the United States of America had deployed its own landmines in this illegally occupied area.

Little is known, however, about the real reasons compelling Cuba to lay and maintain those mines.

The international community has information on the hostile and aggressive actions the Government of the United States of America has carried out against Cuba for more than 30 years. Nevertheless, we consider there is still a lot to be said about such actions.

Between July 5-20, 1999, in the Civil and Administrative Court of Law at the Provincial People's Court in the City of Havana, there were public hearings of the compensation lawsuit for damages filed by the Cuban people against the Government of the United States of America.

Tens of witnesses and a number of evidence were presented in the hearings. The Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces was in charge of giving expert opinions about two of the principal allegations made in the Lawsuit. One of them was related to the use of the Guantnamo Naval Base as an instrument of the United States Government's aggressive policy towards the Cuban Government and people. (1)

Below are some excerpts of the aforementioned expert opinion that illustrate how the Guantnamo Naval Base of the United States of America, located in the Bay of Guantnamo has been used as an instrument of the aggressive policy of the United States towards Cuba and how from this place they it has caused irreparable harm to the Cuban people.

"The agreement for the establishment of the Guantnamo Naval Base, ever since it was signed, took an entirely illegal nature. The shameful Platt Amendment, imposed to Cubans and accepted only under penalty that U.S. intervention troops would not leave the country, caused that still effective Treaty to be signed under blatant and arrogant pressure, giving it an illegal nature and fully justifying the our peoples claim for the usurped territory. "

" the troops stationed in this U.S. military facility were used by the previous governments more than once as instruments for internal repression. In 1912, the troops billeted in the base overstepped their limits to quench the uprising of the Color Independent Party. Five years later, on the occasion of the uprising of the Liberal Party, several groups of US marines took positions outside the base, under the pretext of protecting the water supply lines from the free Cuban territory."

The establishment of new relations between both countries 1st January 1959 marks the moment when the contradictions accumulated for many years regarding the illegal presence of the Guantnamo Naval Base became fully evident. These new relations polarized the increasingly aggressive policy by US Administrations and the determined Cuban stance vis-a-vis the challenge posed by the North."

Later on, the expert opinion states that just before 1959 when the last stage of the Cuban Revolution led by actual President, Commander in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, was being waged up in the Eastern mountains, " the Guantnamo Naval BASE was used by the United States to clandestinely supply weapons and munitions to Batista's Army in its last waning days (2) even though it had been prohibited by the U.S. Congress..."

"After the triumph of the Cuban Revolution in January 1959 and as part of the US-launched offensive to increase its presence in its overseas territories, the Base was a choice scenario for the increase of US interference... a historical average of 15 US ships, over 50% of them war ships, performing military exercises and maneuvers everyday inside the bay or near its service areas located to the South of that facility, even using live munitions with the corresponding risk for sea transportation."

"Ground troops were gradually increased and, under the questionable designation of defensive forces, their number rose to around 2,500 troops in peacetime, because its reinforcement have been always planned for times of conflict, as it happened in the days of the Missile Crisis in 1962, when the total troops ready for action reached 5,800."

"For instance, on May 1980 during the military exercise Solid Shield, a scheduled reinforcements in the Base was around 1,200 marines; in 1984, as part of Ocean Venture-84, around 600-strong military personnel was transferred to the Base. In October 1991, for defense exercise DEFEX 2/91, the facility received around 600 additional marines."

"Traditionally, the US military leadership was bent on demonstrating that the training of its troops inside the Base had an eminently defensive nature. They even called their main military exercises Defense Exercise - DEFEX.

However, there is clear evidence revealing the real nature the military training inside the Base. One of the pages in the US Marines Field Regulations (Staff Action, FMFM 3-1, DE 1979) for the training of Staffs in Combat, shows a representative diagram with the idea of training inside the Guantnamo Naval BASE."

"The systematic acts of provocation from the Base, mainly by US military personnel, were part and parcel of US aggressions against Cuba since 1st January 1959."

"After the mercenary invasion in Bay of Pigs (April 1961), US military planners dedicated their time to find new aggressive options against Cuba. On 9 March 1962 they submitted to the consideration of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, a broad catalogue of "Reasons to Justify a US Military Invasion in Cuba."

This catalogue is part of a large group of documents declassified by the American government relative to the investigation of President Kennedys assassination. These files are called "Select Documents on Cuba" and contain a vast volume of information on actions planned by the United States with the purpose of fabricating a pretext to militarily intervene in Cuba.

We will make reference to those documents directly related to the Guantnamo Naval Base:

Incidents credibly simulating an attack:

Circulate (many) rumors. Use clandestine radio broadcast.
Land Cuban troops in uniform, "on the U.S. side of the fence", to simulate an attack on the Base.
Capture alleged Cuban saboteurs inside the Base.
Start riots (by alleged Cubans) near the main entrance to the Base.
Blow up explosive devices inside the Base and damage some of its facilities.
Burn aircraft inside the Base and make it look a sabotage act.
Fire mortar shells at the Base and damage some facilities.
Capture alleged storm troops approaching the Base from the sea or the city of Guantnamo.
Capture groups of militia harassing the Base.
Sabotage a vessel docked in port causing great fire.
Sink a vessel near the entrance to the port. Stage funeral of the victims. They could be around 10.

PRINCIPAL ACTS OF PROVOCATION FROM GUANTANAMO NAVAL BASE SINCE 1962

PRINCIPAL ACTS OF PROVOCATION	TOTAL
Throwing objects	1 376
Shots fired at our territory	783
Aiming weapons at our territory	725
Verbal offenses and lewd gestures	1 555
Other acts of provocation	797
TOTAL	5 236

PRINCIPAL VIOLATIONS FROM GUANTANAMO NAVAL BASE SINCE 1962.

TYPES OF VIOLATION	TOTAL
Violations of ground limits	610
Violations of air space	6 330
Violations of jurisdictional waters	1 322
TOTAL	8 262

The Cuban Government has denounced these acts in an opportune and systematic manner to the Government of the United States of America.

"In a Note Verbale dated 20 March 1962, the U.S. Government was notified of the occurrence of 12 acts of provocation taking place just from 3-5 March in the Guantnamo Naval Base. Those acts included firing shots and directing verbal offenses against the Cuban personnel."

"The Cuban Government, in a Note Verbale to the Swiss Embassy, dated 4 April 1961, denounced the perpetration of 48 violations of our air space near the Guantnamo Naval Base taking place between 15 February and 15 March 1961."

"In a Note Verbale addressed to the Czech Embassy, dated 2 January 1962, the U.S. authorities were given a summary of 101 violations of Cuban air space and jurisdictional waters between June and November 1962, most of them originating from the Guantnamo Naval Base."

It is necessary to point out that we have not made use of all the data contained in the Evidence Report because it would make this work too long. However, we consider that the information made public herein sheds some clear light as to why Cuba has been compelled to adopt defensive measures to protect the territory and people near the Guantnamo Naval Base.

In a separate Evidence Report submitted for the purpose of the same Judicial Proceeding by the Ministry of Interior of Cuba, it is clearly shown how the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States of America encouraged and directed the activities of terrorist groups and individuals in the Cuban territory in the 1960s, occasionally giving them shelter in the Guantnamo Naval Base.

We should highlight that the Cuban landmines sowed in the perimeter surrounding the Guantnamo Naval Base have an exclusively defensive nature. They are intended to prevent violations and acts of provocation, as well as to guarantee peace and safety in the areas adjacent to the Base. These mines also serve the military purpose of preventing U.S. troops from expanding with impunity the perimeter they occupy illegally and from launching offensive actions into the Cuban territory.

Cuban mine fields are duly marked, fenced and guarded to ensure the protection of civilians, as stipulated by Protocol II (Amended) of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.

Several diplomats accredited to Cuba as well as other foreign personalities have been able to visit on various occasions the surroundings of the Guantnamo Naval Base and observe the area occupied by the Base and the defensive measures adopted by the Cuban side.

Lastly, we should note that the alleged removal of U.S. landmines from the Guantnamo Naval Base completed by the end of 1999, as announced by the U.S. Government, is a measure of relative importance since that country has the necessary troops and means to quickly restore the deactivated minefields if it so wishes or deems it appropriate. They can even use more high-tech mines having a greater destructive power than the ones formerly planted around Guantnamo Naval Base.

On the other hand, there is the U.S. war arsenal that could be used against Cuba in the event of a military invasion, wreaking infinitely more havoc than anti-personnel landmines.

CUBAS HEALTHCARE POLICY FOR THE HANDICAPPED

In Cuba, there is a free and universal healthcare system and the gains accomplished by the Cuban medicine enjoy worldwide renown.

The Cuban Revolution has built new hospitals and 21 medical schools to train thousands of high-skilled physicians. Only in the last few years, despite the financial constraints facing our country, the number of medical graduates has increased to 30,000.

In spite the economic, financial and trade blockade imposed by the United States of America on Cuba, preventing among other things the sales of medicines and the transference of medical technologies to our country, Cuba has been able to keep its infant mortality rates down reaching an all-time low (7.4 per 1000 live births) in 1999, one of the lowest rates in the world.

In the 1960s policies to address the handicapped were implemented, reaching important goals in 1983-1993 in the fields of prevention, rehabilitation, social integration and equal opportunities for the disabled.

The care for this social group has been a constant concern of the Cuban government since 1 January 1959. The National Plan of Action for the Care of the Disabled has been outlined on a yearly basis, and a strict control for its compliance is observed by State institutions.

The financial support that the Cuban government has provided for the purchase of devices to assist in the patients social reinsertion and rehabilitation has increased dramatically.

For instance, financing grew threefold between 1996 and 1997 for the purchase of orthopedic devices. In 1998, that figure increased five times. Likewise, assistance for the visually, hearing and mentally impaired has grown significantly.

At present, a nationwide survey is being conducted for the care of deaf and blind patients.

It is important to note that the aforementioned expenses have been made in hard currency, albeit one of the characteristics of the Cuban economy during these years of crisis has been the lack of this type of currency.

Below are some figures illustrating the care of disabled patients in two specialized institutions in Havana between 1995 and 1998:

National Rehabilitation Center, "Julio Daz" Hospital

OUTPATIENT TOTAL	92 990
INPATIENT TOTAL	6 618

National Center for Neurologic Restoration (CIREN)

YEARS	NUMBER OF PATIENTS TREATED
1995	423
1996	361
1997	487
1998	560

CUBAN PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS AND CONVENTIONS ON DISARMAMENT

The Republic of Cuba is State Party to 11 of the 18 International Instruments relative to Disarmament applicable to it.

Cuba has taken part in the UN Registry of Conventional Weapons since the establishment of this specialized forum, reporting every year that it has not imported or exported none of the types of weapons included in the 7 categories contained in the Registry.

Cuba is currently considering, according to effective constitutional provisions, the possibility to ratify Protocol II (Amended) to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.

(1)-Evidence Report submitted bythe Revolutionary Armed Forced. The Cuban People Files Lawsuit againstthe Government of the United States of America for Damages. EdicionesVERDE OLIVO, Havana, Cuba, 1999.

(2)-General FulgencioBatista led a military coup on 10 March 1952 establishing adictatorship in Cuba that lasted until 1 January 1959 when the CubanRevolution triumphed

Country: China
Date Received: 10 Apr 2000

April 10, 2000

Dear Ms. Yukika Sohma and Yukie Osa,

We have received your letter requesting our comments on your last edition of Landmine Monitor 1999 as well as detailed information on China's efforts on mine clearance activities and assistance to landmine casualties. We have given serious consideration to your letter and would like to make the following comments and response.

It is obvious that you attached importance to reflecting China's policy and position on the issue of landmines in your report. For that purpose, you must have done a lot of work and consulted relevant sources. We are grateful for your efforts in this regard. We appreciate the responsible attitude you adopted by quoting the exact statements made by Chinese officials in various occasions and the relevant section from the White Paper on China's National Defense. Meanwhile, we also noted that Landmine Monitor 1999 quoted some remarks of assessment or speculation by agencies from other countries or individuals on China's production, transfer, stockpiling and use of anti-personnel landmines (APLs). It is our view that such an approach is not appropriate. We can not but feel regretful for that. We strongly hope that you exclude such groundless views or statistics out of speculation in Landmine Monitor 2000 in a responsible manner.

We understand that the objective of Landmine Monitor 2000 is to accurately reflect the policy and position on the issue of landmines of all countries, including China. China's policy on the issue of landmines is as follows:

"China has always attached great importance to accidental injury to civilians caused by landmines. It supports proper and rational restrictions placed on the use and transfer of landmines. At the same time, the Chinese government holds that, in addressing the problem of landmines, especially that of APLs, due regard should be given to both humanitarian concerns and legitimate military means, including the use of APLs, according to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. As a developing country with long borders, China has to reserve the right to use APLs for self-defense on its own territory pending an alternative to replace APLs and the presence of security and defense capability."

After outlining the above-mentioned policy, your report may then proceed to enumerate the actions taken by China based on that policy, including the activities cited in Landmine Monitor 1999. For example, in April 1996, China announced a moratorium on the export of APLs which are prohibited by the Amended Landmine Protocol annexed to the CCW Convention. In 1998, China ratified the Amended Landmine Protocol. In that same year, China donated US$100,000 to the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Mine Clearance and sponsored an international mine clearance training course in China in cooperation with the UN. It has also decided to contribute some equipment for mine detection and clearance to the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Mine Clearance, earmarked to some mine-affected countries. It has successfully launched two large-scale demining operations in Sino-Vietnamese border areas. China is not a State Party to the Ottawa Convention.

You also requested us to provide detailed information on China's mine clearance activities in Yunnan Province and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Therefore, we attach herewith Postwar Demining Operations in China (1992-1999) and China's National Report to the First Annual Conference of the States Parties to the Amended Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby-Traps and Other Devices Annexed to the CCW. These two reports contain detailed information on China's mine clearance activities and mine clearance assistance. Please draw the relevant information from these two reports into the Landmine Monitor 2000.

China attached importance to assistance to mine victims and has made tremendous efforts in this area. However, we have been engaged only in actual assistance work so far instead of making them known to other countries. We are yet to conduct a comprehensive compiling of the statistics in this regard. The departments concerned in the Chinese government are trying to gather relevant information. Once available, the information will be publicized in due time.

WANG Xiaolin
Third Secretary
Department of Arms Control and Disarmament
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
People's Republic of China

Country: Kenya
Date Received: 02 Mar 2000

BUREAU DE L'AMBASSADEUR DE LA REPUBLIQUE DE KENYA A PARIS

2nd March 2000
Madame Sylvie Brigot
Coordinatrice de la Campagne
Francaise pur Interdire les Mines
Handicap International
104/106, Rue Oberkampf
75011 PARIS
Dear Madame Brigot,

Re: RATIFICATION OF THE ICBL TREATY
We acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 26th January, 2000 in which you informed us that we remain one of the Signatories of this important treaty but have not yet ratified it.Kenya is a vocal supporter of the total ban on the use of landmines and would like to assure you of our commitment to ratify the treaty.I have forwarded your letter to Nairobi for their urgent attention.Please Mme Campaigner , accept the assurances of our highest consideration.Yours sincerely,(signed) Steven A. LoyatumAmbassador

Country: Gabon
Date Received: 17 Feb 2000

L'Ambassadeur Haut Representant de la Republique Gabonaise en France

17 February 2000 Madame,

J'ai I'honneur d'accuser reception de votre lettre du 26 janvier relative a la Campagne Internationale pour l'Interdiction des Mines Antipersonnel et pour leur Destruction, document dont j'ai pris connaissance avec la plus grande attention.

Je transmets votre correspondence a notre Gouvemement a Libreville et je ne doute pas qu'elle sera prise en consideration en vue d'une ratification rapide du Traite International d'Interdiction des Mines Antipersonnel, mais si vous le desirez, j'accepterais volontiers de vous recevoir, A une date que nous devrons fixer d'un commun accord, en fonction de mes obligations diplomatiques actuelles.

Avec mes sentiments les meilleurs, je vous prie d'agreer, Madame, 1'expression de ma consideration la plus distinguee.

Honorine Dossou-Naki
Madame Sylvie BRIGOT
Coordinatrice de la Campagne Franqaise Pour Interdire les Mines
Handicap International
104/106, rue Oberkampf
75011 PARIS

Country: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Date Received: 14 Jan 2000

PERMANENT MISSION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS
854 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK, NY 10021 TEL: (212) 879-8700 FAX: (212) 879-8705

no. 09/2000

14 January 2000

Dear Mrs. Bernstein,

I have the honour to trasmit, enclosed herewith, a copy of the letter of HE Mr. Miroslav Milosevic, Assistant Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, addressed to you.

Please accept, Mrs. Bernstein, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Signed: Dragana Ivanovic
Minister-Counsellor

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Belgrade, 11 January 2000

Dear Mrs. Bernstein,

Regarding your letter of 24 November 1999, addressed to the Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Zivadin Jovanovic and the interest you expressed in having the FR of Yugoslavia join the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on Their Destruction, I would like to inform you of the following:

I appreciate very much your involvement in the matter as a Campaign to Ban Landmines Coordinator. You are surely aware that in spite of the expressed interest of the FR of Yugoslavia to take part in the preparatory stage for the Convention, it has not been given the opportunity to do so from the very outset. Having joined the negotiations at a later stage, it was not possible for the FR of Yugoslavia to make all necessary preparations related to its possible accession to the Convention before the Ottawa Conference, held in December 1997.

The NATO aggression against the FR of Yugoslavia in March-June 1999 has raised completely new questions about the use of inhumane weapons, among which anti-personnel landmines represent but only one category. As it is known, the FR of Yugoslavia was exposed to large-scale destruction as a result of the use of the most hazardous types of inhumane weapons such as cluster bombs, depleted uranium bombs, thermal bombs, etc. which caused the death of a large number of civilians, children in particular as well as the destruction of plants, infrastructure, schools, hospitals and numerous civilian properties. Additionally, the civilian population in Kosovo and Metohija was also a victim of anti-personnel landmines planted by the terrorist organization of the so-called KLA. The deployment of KFOR has not helped the situation at all. The overall location and the number of inhumane weapons used.

In view of the long-lasting commitment of the FR of Yugoslavia to the process of disarmament and arms control, I wish to assure you that we stand ready to continue to participate actively in the efforts towards the elimination of all types of weapons, inhumane weapons in particular and will make our concrete contribution to this as soon as appropriate conditions have been created to this effect.

I sincerely hope that you will, for your part, as Campaign Ban Landmines Coordinator, soon launch a campaign to ban other types of mines, like those used by NATO in its aggression against the FR of Yugoslavia.

Yours sincerely,
(signed) Miroslav Milosovic
Assistant Federal Minister

Country: Venezuela
Date Received: 20 Oct 1999

Misión Permanente de Venezuela
ante la Organización de los Estados Americanos

Washington, 20 de octubre de 1999

Señor Steve Goose:

Tengo el agrado de dirigirme a usted en la oportunidad de agradecer el envío del material sobre El Monitor de Minas Terrestres de 1999: Hacia un mundo sin minas.

Valga la ocasión para reiterar a usted las seguridades de mi más alta y distinguida consideración.

Virginia Contreras

Embajadora

Al Señor
Steve Goose
Director de Programa
Landmine Monitor
Washington, DC