What is the Landmine Ban Treaty?
The "Mine Ban Treaty", formerly known as The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Antipersonnel Mines and On Their Destruction, was opened for signature in Ottawa, Canada, on December 3, 1997, and become international law on March 1, 1999.
The 1997 Mine Ban Treaty urges "countries in a position to do so" to provide for the "care and rehabilitation and social and economic integration of mine victims."
The 1997 Mine Ban Treaty requires that States Parties destroy their landmine stockpiles within 4 years and clear minefields within 10 years.
As of November 29, 2000, 139 countries have signed the Mine Ban Treaty. Fifty-four countries remain.
Every country in the Western Hemisphere has signed the 1997 Landmine Ban Treaty except the United States and Cuba.
Every NATO member, except the United States and Turkey, has joined the Mine Ban Treaty.
Eight of the twelve biggest landmine producers and exporters over the past thirty years are now States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty and have stopped all production and export: Belgium, BiH, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Italy and UK.
There are now only 16 landmine-producing countries, including the United States, China and Russia. |
