Spring criticises new UN rules on use of landmines

THE Tanaiste has criticised new UN rules on landmines as not going far enough and pledged to press for their elimination during the Irish EU Presidency.

The measures, agreed at the review conference on the 1980 UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons in Geneva yesterday, have also been described as "woefully inadequate" by the Irish Red Cross Society.

The amended agreement extends the scope of the existing protocol to internal conflicts and bans the use of non detectable, anti personnel landmines.

It breaks new ground by banning the supply of prohibited mines immediately, and also gives stronger protection to UN peacekeeping missions. The UN will be entitled to receive comprehensive information on mines and minefields laid by parties to a conflict.

Describing these elements as "positive steps", the Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs said in a statement last night it was "deplorable that their impact on potential mine victims may not, in certain cases, be felt for another decade."

Mr Spring added: "The narrow and cautious measures adopted in Geneva bear too little relation to the scale and urgency of the landmines crisis. They do not adequately reflect the growing international support for a total ban on anti personnel mines. Ireland was the first country to advocate a total ban."

He expressed regret that "entrenched perceptions" of the military value of landmines prevailed on this occasion over humanitarian concern" for victims and potential victims. "But progress is being made," he said.

The review conference was an "important catalyst for action" by individual governments. An informal network of governments and non governmental organisations committed to working for a total ban had begun to emerge.

The chairwoman of the Irish Red Cross Society, Ms Una McGurk, expressed regret that the conference in Geneva had failed to outlaw the use of an indiscriminate weapon: "The horrific level of landmine casualties in recent years is set to continue."

The Irish Red Cross estimates there are 110 million landmines scattered in 64 countries, with another 110 million due to be laid. For every new mine removed, 20 new ones are laid. The society has two Irish delegates caring for landmine victims in Kenya and Pakistan.