AXWORTHY SETS LAND-MINE TREATY DATE
Surprise move challenges countries reluctant to endorse timetable
on banning the explosives
Ottawa Land Mines Conference, Globe & mail Report: 96-10-07 by Murray Campbell
OTTAWA - Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy has sidestepped traditional
diplomacy and challenged other countries to sign a treaty that would ban antipersonnel
mines.
Mr. Axworthy surprised delegates at an international conference here by announcing
on Saturday that Canada will convene another meeting in December 1997 to conclude
a pact to forbid the use, production or export of land mines.
The unexpected move was a direct challenge to the United States and several other
countries that refused to endorse a timetable. Karl Inderfurth, the deputy leader
of the U.S. delegation said immediately after Mr. Axworthy's announcement that the
United States is not prepared to set a target date for a ban.
Mr. Axworthy said he decided to introduce unilaterally a timetable for a global ban
when it became clear the momentum on the issue would be lost if the Ottawa conference
ended up with no target date. A treaty signed next year would come into effect by
2000. "If you don't give yourself a standard to measure, you don't make progress,"
he told reporters. "You can bury it under rules and all kinds of discussions."
Hew as hailed by the anti-mine activists and many delegates, particularly those representing
non-governmental organizations, who gave him a standing ovation and praised him for
his leadership.
"You had the courage to call the question," said Jody Williams, co-ordinator
of The International Campaign to Ban Landmines.
"This is a very big step forward for humanity" said Chris Moon who lost
his right hand and part of his right leg 18 months ago while clearing mines for a
British humanitarian organization in Mozambique.
But not every country at the conference seemed set to respond to Canada's challenge.
Fifty countries attended the Ottawa gathering, called by Canada when it became clear
in the spring that the traditional United Nations institutions were not responding
quickly to the fierce lobbying of non-governmental anti-mine groups that have sprung
up in three dozen countries in the past five years.
More than 100 million land mines left over from various conflicts remain in the soil
of 64 countries, and more than two million are added every year. About 500 people
a week - mostly civilians -- are killed or maimed by mines.
All the countries at the conference had to pledge themselves to the ultimate goal
of a global ban on anti-personnel mines. Russia, which has used mines in Chechnya,
attended as an observer, while China, Iraq and Israel stayed away.
Many countries would not have sent delegations to Ottawa if the believed the final
declaration was going to include a timetable for establishing a global ban.
The United States in particular supports a ban and is sponsoring a resolution to
that effect in the UN next month, but has resisted setting an implementation timetable.
In addition, Bill Clinton has reserved the right of the U.S. military to deploy mines
in the Korean peninsula until it is satisfied that lethal alternatives exist or that
hostilities between North and South Korea have lessened.
Mr. Inderfurth said the United States was not told in advance of Canada's move, but
in the best traditions of diplomacy he did not give any hint that this might be considered
grandstanding.
"Clearly, all of us attending this conference feel strongly about the subject,
and this initiative put on the table by Foreign Minister Axworthy is one that we
will look at," he said.
"We want to begin these negotiations right away, so that is not inconsistent
with saying how fast they can be concluded." However, he said " December
of 1997 may be optimistic."
Mr. Axworthy decided on a target date during a meeting on Friday night with Foreign
Affairs officials who argued that there was a "critical mass" of countries
that would support Canada.
"What became clear during the conference was that there was an impatience to
get going by an awful lot of participants," said Canadian diplomat Ralph Lysyshyn,
who chaired the meeting.
In a speech that concluded the conference, Mr. Axworthy went beyond the generalities
of the agenda for action agreed upon by other diplomats. He said he felt he had to
act or people would leave Ottawa thinking that nothing had been done.
"The challenge is to the governments assembled here to put our rhetoric into
action," he told the conference. "We have a straight forward choice We
can Ö remove 100 million mines an arm and a leg at a time, or we can act."
Canada will be launching a full-court press to persuade countries to send their foreign
ministers to Ottawa in 14 months. An interim follow up to the Ottawa gathering of
the past few days is scheduled for Belgium next June.
A draft treaty produced by Austria would likely provide the framework for the ban
and Mr. Axworthy said Canada would deal with any nation that wished to attend.
He said it was too early to consider whether a treaty would allow the U.S. to deploy
land mines in the demilitarized zone in Korea.
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