Ratification Update #6

Ratification #6SUMMARY

We have three new official ratifications -- Zimbabwe, South Africa
and Austria -- for a total of 22. Zimbabwe was number 20, halfway to
the number needed for entry into force. The ICBL put out a press
statement on reaching this milestone.

New ratification legislation has been passed by France, Italy, and
Spain, 22 Official Ratifications deposited at the United Nations: Canada,
Ireland, Mauritius, Turkmenistan, Holy See, San Marino,
Switzerland, Hungary, Niue, Belize, Trinidad&Tobago, Djibouti, Croatia, Mali, Denmark, Bolivia, Mexico, Fiji, Peru, Zimbabwe, South Africa,
Austria.

10 others that have apparently already passed ratification legislation, but not yet deposited it at the UN: Andorra, Bosnia, Botswana, France, Guinea, Italy, Mozambique, Norway, Spain, Yemen.

Norway is expected to deposit this week.

According to our previous reports, among those expected to pass ratification legislation soon are Belgium, Colombia, Germany, and Sweden.

AUSTRIA

Austria deposited its ratification on Monday, June 29.
[Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs -- 6/29/98]

FRANCE

On June 25 the French parliament unanimously adopted ratification
legislation for the Ottawa Treaty, the national law banning APMs
in France (including penal sanctions), and ratification legislation
for CCW Protocol II. The ratification will be deposited at the UN
very soon. A national committee for the assessment of the
implementation of both the Convention and the french law has been created.
Members are MPs, senators, representatives of concerned ministries and
NGOs. The Minister of Defense reaffirmed that France will respect its
committment not to use APMs in external operations, including
those led by NATO.
[Sylvie Brigot, Handicap International -- 6/26/98]

ITALY

On June 15 Italy's Council of Ministers approved a law that
ratifies and implements the ban treaty. The Ministry of Defence will take
appropriate steps in order to destroy the arsenal of antipersonnel
landmines within 4 years from the entry into force of the treaty.
[Marcello Storgato, Italian Campaign; RAI Televideo, 6/15/98]

NORWAY

The King signed Norway's ratification on Friday, June 26 and it
should be deposited this week.
[Susan Walker -- 6/28/98]

SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa announced in the CD on June 25 that it had ratified
CCW Protocol IV, CCW amended Protocol II, and the Ottawa Convention and that it was sending its instruments of ratification to New York.
[David Atwood, QUNO -- 6/25/98]

South Africa officially deposited its ratification with the UN on Monday, June 29. The SACBL put out a press release congratulating the South African government and urging it to continue to play a major role especially in mine-clearance and victim assistance programmes in the Southern African region. South Africa is the fifth African nation to ratify.
[Noel Stott, SACBL -- 6/29/98]

SPAIN

The Congress passed the ban law on May 20 and passed ratification legislation of the Ottawa treaty on May 28. On June 2, President
Aznar received the NGOs of the Spanish Campaign to announce the
ratification to the media and the destruction of the Spanish stockpiles within a three year period.
[Eva Quintana, Spanish Campaign -- 6/25/98]

UNITED KINGDOM

Britain's cabinet agreed on June 25 to push legislation through parliament ratifying the ban treaty before the August 31 anniversary of Princess Diana's death. Prime Minister Tony Blair's press spokesman said parliament would be asked to sit for an extra day, perhaps even a Saturday, to pass the necessary bill. But he said the government would first need to sort out a legal problem -- how British soldiers could take part in joint military operations with countries which had not ratified the convention. "All our efforts will be directed towards getting ratification before the summer (parliamentary recess) provided this matter can be resolved," the spokesman said. The recess isexpected at the end of July.
[Reuters -- 6/25/98]

YEMEN
On June 20, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official said that
Yemen's ratification would be sent to the UN any day.
[Christina Nelke, Radda Barnen, Yemen -- 6/29/98]

ZIMBABWE

Zimbabwe deposited its ratification on June 18, becoming #20 --
halfway to the 40 needed for entry into force.