MEDIA ADVISORY
Banning antipersonnel landmines in Central Asia

(Thursday 30 October 2003 ) Civil society and government representatives gather in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan next week to focus on eradicating antipersonnel landmines. They will take part in briefings, field trips and a conference: "Landmines in Central Asia and CIS Countries: Defining the Problem and Identifying Solutions."

The events are organized by the non-governmental Kyrgyz Committee of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan, with the support and participation of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), 1997 Nobel Peace Laureate.

Campaigners hope to raise awareness on the humanitarian consequences of antipersonnel mines which contaminate several countries in the region, including Kyrgyzstan.

Neighbouring Tajikistan and Turkmenistan are members of the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty which outlaws antipersonnel mines but Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan have yet to join.

WHEN

WHERE

CONTACTS

• media ('at' sign) icbl.org
• Sue Wixley (ICBL media officer): + 996 (312) 284 251 (Hotel Dostuk) or + 44 79 32 688431 (UK mobile)
• Cholpon Galieva ( IPPNW-KC, LM coordinator), +996 (312) 680 452 or +996 (312) 280 437, + 996 74 01 06 (mobile), e-mail address: astma ('at' sign) kyrnet.kg and kyrgyzstan ('at' sign) icbl.org