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Holter

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11
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1996-08-15
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1996-08-15
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1
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un-security-council

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  1. “In dealing with the land-mine problem, we believe that humanitarian ideals will be best served if political stands are backed up by measures with the maximum practical effect. In this context, we cannot allow humanitarian concerns to be subordinated to military requirements.”

    1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source

  2. “Norway is about to start a pilot mine clearance programme in the former Yugoslavia, utilizing a mechanical mine clearance machine invented in Norway and developed by a Swedish company. It is expected to dramatically speed up the clearing of open fields, either detonating the mines or chewing them into harmless pieces. We should strengthen the ability of the United Nations to initiate and coordinate demining activities throughout the world. The United Nations should also provide funding for demining activities. Norway has contributed about $1.3 million to the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Clearance. Norway is also ready to contribute expert personnel to the standby capacity of United Nations mine action assistance programmes through the Norwegian Emergency Preparedness Systems (NOREPS).”

    1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source

  3. “The Norwegian Government would like to see a radical increase in such efforts, aimed primarily at enhancing permanent facilities and schemes at the local level. Local expertise should be developed in the fields of mine awareness, detection and clearance activities. Norway has so far trained more than 1,000 deminers and 400 mine awareness instructors in various countries. The Norwegian Government has spent more than $20 million on demining-related activities in a number of countries, and we intend to maintain or increase this level of support. We must devote more attention and resources to improved mine clearance technology. Far more resources are set aside for the production of new weapons than for remedying the damage they have caused.”

    1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source

  4. “We hope that the Ottawa meeting will be the first of a series of meetings for the countries that support this work. Secondly, in order to build on and enhance the momentum of this movement, Norway would like to see a strong resolution at the forthcoming fifty-first session of the General Assembly, embodying the objectives of the pro-ban States. The existing General Assembly consensus resolutions on demining should maintained. Thirdly, Norway is prepared to take part in negotiations on a comprehensive ban on anti-personnel mines. These negotiations should begin as soon as possible. In addition to these political measures, practical efforts should be made to strengthen the capacity for demining activities in various parts of the world.”

    1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source

  5. “We are convinced that the conclusion of the Review Conference is only the beginning of a challenging process which requires persistent and widespread efforts if its humanitarian objectives are to be fully achieved. In this context three points should be mentioned. First, it is encouraging that more than 30 countries are now advocating a total ban on anti-personnel land- mines. In our view, a concerted effort by those countries will be the most effective way of continuing the fight against these weapons. The meeting to be held in Ottawa this autumn will provide an important opportunity to discuss a joint strategy for achieving a total ban on anti- personnel land-mines. Such a strategy should include a plan of action with specific short- and medium-term objectives en route to the goal of the total elimination of these weapons.”

    1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source

  6. “The outcome of the Review Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects earlier this year fell far short of our expectations. The amended Protocol II, the land-mine protocol, does not ban anti-personnel mines and does not go as far in the area of interim protection for civilians as we and many others would have wished. While this is disappointing, it does not prevent us from welcoming the amended Protocol as an important first step on the road to a legally binding global ban. We believe that the annual meetings of States parties and the next review conference in 2001 will serve as important forums in which to maintain political pressure for a global ban.”

    1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source

  7. “Today's debate in this framework is a significant expression of the growing awareness of the need for such a comprehensive approach. In the view of the Norwegian Government, the only sane, humane response to the scourge of anti-personnel land-mines is their total prohibition and elimination. Norway is one of the countries that has consistently advocated a total ban on the production, transfer and use of anti-personnel mines. In June 1995 we declared a moratorium on the production, stockpiling, transfer and use of anti-personnel mines. All anti-personnel mines currently found in Norwegian military stockpiles will be removed and destroyed. According to the present schedule, this work will be completed by 1 October this year. Norway hopes that its example will add weight to the ongoing international efforts to ban anti-personnel land- mmes.”

    1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source

  8. “In a number of conflict-torn areas, demining is also an important element in the overall efforts towards achieving lasting peace and conditions for reconstruction and development. Demining, as well as measures to prevent renewed use of land-mines, as part of broader disarmament measures, should therefore also be considered in the context of post-conflict peace-building, as pointed out by the Secretary-General in his Supplement to "An Agenda for Peace". The question of anti-personnel land-mines has a number of different dimensions: it represents a grave humanitarian problem; it has direct bearings on United Nations peace-keeping operations; it is an important disarmament issue; and it has a development dimension. It should therefore be addressed on a broad and comprehensive basis.”

    1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source

  9. “Important efforts are now being made by the Secretariat to improve coordination between relevant departments with regard to demining in peace-keeping operations. We strongly welcome and encourage these efforts. Coordination between the Departments of Peace- keeping Operations and Humanitarian Affairs is particularly important. Increased attention should be given to the different aspects of demining activities when mandates for peace-keeping operations are being drawn up. My delegation would like to associate itself with the interesting ideas put forward in this respect by the European Union, and we also support the suggestion that these questions could be further considered within the Special Committee on Peace-keeping Operations.”

    1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source

  10. “Given the Security Council's responsibility for peace-keeping operations and the very grave and direct problems which the use of land-mines represents for these operations, we believe it is extremely useful to discuss within the framework of the Council ways and means of addressing these problems in peace-keeping mandates. It is a tragic fact that over the years, hundreds of United Nations peace-keepers have been killed or wounded by mines. It is also a persistent problem that the use of land-mines by the parties to a conflict represents a serious impediment to the carrying out of the mandate of peace-keeping operations: it causes important delays, it reduces the effect of the operation, and it represents serious additional financial costs.”

    1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source

  11. “Anti-personnel land-mines are among the most insidiously destructive weapons commonly used in war. They continue to spread terror for years or even decades after hostilities have ended. We should all recognize that the military utility of anti- personnel land-mines is far outweighed by their cost in humanitarian and socio-economic terms. For many years, Norway has been involved in United Nations peace- keeping operations and mine-clearing missions and has been able to gain first-hand experience of the consequences of the widespread and irresponsible use of land-mines. A bold and concerted effort by all nations is urgently needed. We therefore welcome this open debate in the Security Council on the question of demining in the context of United Nations peace-keeping.”

    1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source