B4-0786/97

Resolution on the conference in Oslo seeking a convention on a total ban on anti-people mines

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on this subject, in particular those of 14 March 1996 on anti-personnel landmines and the Vienna International Conference on the review of the Protocol on Certain Conventional Weapons ((OJ C 96, 1.4.1996, p. 292.)), 23 May 1996 on the failure of the Conference on anti-personnel mines ((OJ C 166, 10.6.1996, p. 197.)) and 17 July 1997 on anti-personnel mines ((nutes of that Sitting, Part II, Item 13.)),

A. noting the significant progress the Ottawa process has made towards a ban on anti-people mines,

B. congratulating the 97 signatories to the Brussels Declaration in favour of a December 1997 treaty and in support of the Austrian draft text, and those Member States who declared a moratorium on the sale or deployment of landmines before the Ottawa process,

C. welcoming the successful outcome of the negotiations in Oslo, which will make possible the signing of a treaty in Ottawa in December 1997,

D. acknowledging the profound challenges that victims of landmines face after an explosion and commending the intrepid role survivors have played in the movement for a global ban,

E. commending the efforts of non-governmental organizations and many personalities like Diana, Princess of Wales, who brought the inhumane and tragic impact of anti-people mines to the attention of the world public,

F. whereas the agreement to refinance the fourth European Union research and technological development framework programme should include a section on support for mine-detection technologies,

1. Welcomes the fact that 89 states succeeded in Oslo in agreeing a common text that will put a legal ban on the production, stockpiling, use and transfer of anti-people mines;

2. Regrets that, with the US leaving the Ottawa process, the hoped-for positive signal for a worldwide ban on the mines has not been sent;

3. Regrets that Finland and Greece were present at the negotiations only as observers, but urges them, nevertheless, to sign the treaty;

4. Encourages all states, in particular Russia, China, Pakistan, India, Iraq and Turkey, which have not participated in the Ottawa process to date to sign the treaty in December 1997;

5. Requests its Delegation for Relations with the US to draw the attention of their US counterparts to the massive popular support that exists for a total ban and to encourage the US to sign the treaty;

6. Demands that the developing cooperation with states which refuse to sign the treaty or to participate in the Ottawa process should be scrutinized critically;

7. Demands that in the near future, the number of areas cleared annually must be higher than the number of newly-mined areas;

8. Calls on the Secretary-General of the United Nations to use his political influence to revive the hesitant disarmament negotiations in Geneva;

9. Calls on the Council, the Commission and Member States to develop the necessary cooperation between civilian and military R& D programmes in order to foster the widespread use and diffusion of mine-detection technologies;

10. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Secretary-General of the Oslo conference and the Secretary-General of the United Nations.