UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Statement by Hon. Bruce Scott MP Parliamentary Adviser to the Australian Delegation

Plenary

Item 28: Assistance in Mine Action

New York 14 November 2002

In this difficult time we continue to make considerable progress in strengthening the international norm against anti-personnel landmines. Nevertheless, the battle is far from over. Indeed there are constant reminders that much work remains ahead of us. The fact that this year's Landmine Monitor publication estimates that a further 15-20,000 landmine casualties occurred during 2001, the same as the previous year, is a clear reminder that we must redouble our efforts.

We can only address this human tragedy if we bring a halt to the use of all anti-personnel landmines, through universal adherence to and respect for, the Ottawa Convention, and by allocating the necessary resources for mine clearance, mine awareness and victim assistance activities. Australia offers its full support of the Convention and encourages the broadest participation possible.

My government continues to work closely with other Member States to encourage wider adherence to the Convention. We value the opportunity to share experiences and approaches with those equally committed to universalisation of the Convention. We urge any state that is facing difficulties in committing to, or meeting its obligations, under the Convention, to discuss their concerns with other Members to identify the necessary support.

Australia supports the key principles, strategic goals and objectives of the UN Mine Action Strategy for 2001-2005 by:

• Providing core funds to the UN's Mine Action Service (UNMAS) for its coordination role in Mine Action activities;
• Funding mine action interventions that help build national and local capacities to plan, coordinate and implement mine action programmes;
• Encouraging the use and development of the International Mine Action Standards
• And providing considerable resources for mine action globally;

Development and stability in our region are key concerns for Australia. Through support of those Asian countries that are heavily mine affected, Australia's mine action program contributes to promoting a prosperous and stable future.

Our efforts continue to focus on the Asia Pacific Region, specifically South-East Asia and the South Pacific. Over the past twelve months we have worked closely with the Governments of Canada, Thailand, Japan and New Zealand to build support for the Convention in South and South East Asia and the South Pacific.

I would like to make particular reference to the initiative of Thailand in hosting a regional landmines conference for ASEAN countries in May of this year. Australia, together with Canada and Japan, had the pleasure of co-sponsoring this event. The meeting was a particularly valuable opportunity for government and non-government representatives to exchange views and ideas on how to best address the landmines problem in South East Asia.

It was also an opportunity to better understand the barriers to accession or ratification and served to underline the difficulties in making progress, which at best will be incremental.

Australia warmly welcomes Thailand's offer to host the Fifth Meeting of States Parties to the Ottawa Treaty. A meeting in South East Asia will give much needed impetus to efforts to build support for the Convention in this heavily mine-affected region.

The Australian Government continues its firm commitment to mine action, and over the past twelve months has committed or spent over AUD$12 million on a range of humanitarian mine action programs. With AUD$73 million expended since January 1996, the Australian Government is well advanced in meeting it's undertaking to provide AUD$100 million on mine action activities for the decade to December 2005.

Once again, the main recipients of Australia's mine action funding are Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Laos. Reinforcing this focus on South East Asia we are pleased that we will shortly commence funding a three-year mine clearance project in partnership with the Government of Vietnam.

In recognition of the significant mine and unexploded ordnance (UXO) problem faced by Afghanistan, Australia has contributed a total of A$3 million to mine clearance activities in that country. In this context, Australia is encouraged by the recent undertaking by the new Government in Afghanistan to accede to the Ottawa Convention. This is a significant move and, we would hope, a move that will encourage others who continue to insist on the necessity of anti-personnel landmines to seriously reconsider their position.

Equally, we acknowledge and welcome the announcements made by Sri Lanka and the world's newest state, Timor-Leste, that they will move quickly towards accession to the Convention.

Thank you.