EXPERTS from more than loo countries gathered in Vienna yesterday for three days of talks on outlawing anti personnel mines, despite hostility from the major mine producers to a total ban.
Four organisations - the UN, the Arab League, the International Committee of the Red Cross and a specialist anti mine group, the International Campaign to Ban, Landmines - are also attending.
China is refusing to take part in the talks, while Russia and Egypt, other major mine producers, are attending only as observers.
The conference organisers are optimistic. For the first time, the informal meeting will allow examination and a discussion of a draft convention for future negotiations, according to the conference chairman, Mr Thomas Hajnoczi.
The draft would commit signatories to destroy mines and never to develop produce, otherwise acquire, stockpile, retain or transfer, directly or indirectly, anti personnel mines.
The one exception would be "small quantities" of mines for mine clearance training. According to Austrian estimates some two million new mines are laid every year, and only 100,000 are removed.