Statement from CIS regional seminar

(Sunday 11 November 2001 Erevan)
The regional CIS seminar of the national campaigns and committees of the ICBL from Abkhazia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belorussia, Georga, Kirgizia, Nogorno-Karabakh, Russia, Ukraine
Erevan 8 -10 November 2001

Press-release

The regional CIS seminar of the national campaigns from Abkhazia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belorussia, Georga, Kirgizia, Nogorno-Karabakh, Russia, Ukraine as well as Landmine Monitor researchers met in Erevan on the initiative of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, 1997 Nobel Peace Prize laureate to discuss the role of the civil society in the region, where the majority of the countries are affected by mines, and where the civilian population is threatened by mines on a daily basis.

The following issues were discussed:

• how to increase the effectiveness of the national committees of the ICBL in the CIS countries
• Landmine policies in the CIS countries
• Landmine problem and problems of humanitarian demining in the CIS countries
• Victim assistance and rehabilitation issues in the CIS countries
• Mine awareness programmes in the CIS countries
• The relationship of the civil society organisations with the mass media

During the meeting the participants discussed the activities of the national campaigns, noted some progress and discussed concrete steps for the development of regional cooperation in both the ICBL as well as Landmine Monitor programme

National campaigns expressed dissatisfaction because among the CIS countries only Tadjikistan and Turkmenistan became the state parties to the treaty, and Ukraine has signed but not ratified yet, and urged national campaigns and committees to press their governments to join the treaty.

In 2001 new use was reported in Abkhazia, Georgia, Kirgizia, Russia and Uzbekistan

Humanitarian demining operations are underway or planned in Abkhazia Azerbaijan, Georgia, Nagorno-Karabakh. Training on humanitarian demining was organized for the deminers from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia in the autumn 2000.

Azerbaijan - Azerbaijani National Agency on Mine Action (ANAMA) trained 27 deminers and 16 survey and assessment specialists, the next group is undergoing the training.

Armenia - the regional centre on humanitarian demining is built where the specialists from all of the countries in the region will be able to get training.

Russian federation - Federal Working Group on Landmine Problems is created with participation of representatives of MOD, MFA as well as the civil society organisations to more effectively address the landmine issues. The representatives of Abkhazia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Kirgizia, Russia and Ukraine plan to create regional information/coordination centre on peacekeeping, landmine issues and antiterrorism.

Abkhazia - The HALO Trust resumed humanitarian demining operations. The operations were suspended due the violation of the Moscow 1994 ceasefire agreement by the armed formations in parts of Kodor gorge. Landmine Monitor researcher reported on new use of antipersonnel mines and booby traps in Abkhazia.

Representatives of Abhazian and Georgian committees of the ICBL decided that despite the current difficulties it is necessary to work towards the solution to the landmine problems, they agreed that the regional format of the meetings is suitable for the development of strategy for the formation of further common steps.

In all of the CIS countries landmine/UXO incidents occurred in 2000 - 2001. It is far too often the landmine victims die as the result of loss of blood or shock before they are delivered to the nearest medical facility, the survivors often can not get the first aid not to mention comprehensive rehabilitation.

On the background of difficult economic situation, which is a common characteristic for all the CIS countries, many of the landmine/UXO victims or other disabled experience serious lack of institutional, financial and social support. There are difficulties with employment or income generation necessary to provide minimum standards of living

Considering the weakness of social and medical infrastructure in affected countries the national campaigns called for increase of funding for victim assistance by the international organizations.

Participants of the seminar had an opportunity to meet the representative of the UN in Armenia Mr. Tkachuk, the head of OSCE office in Erevan Mr. Roy Riv, the head of Arms Control and International Security Department of the Armenian MFA, Mr. Vagram Gabrielyan, the Deputy Minister of Defence general Yurij Khachaturov, visited Orthopaedic Center in Erevan and landmine/UXO affected territories on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The participants agreed to meet again in Baku in November 2002

The participants of the seminar would like to thank Armenian Committee for good organization of the seminar and the power structures of Armenia for their adequate support.