YouSaid · the spoken record

Vargas De Losada

lines on the record: 7
first: 1996-08-15
most recent: 1996-08-15
sittings or episodes: 1
sources: un-security-council

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“Our Organization must play an effective and active role to help the States affected and must coordinate efforts with regional organizations that are already doing similar work. However, first and foremost it must, clearly and forcefully, promote the basic solution: a complete ban on the production, use and transfer of all land-mines.”
1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source
“On the domestic front, every State, in exercising its sovereignty, is doing whatever it can with its limited resources and the technology that it can afford. However, in view of the magnitude and nature of the problem, effective international cooperation is urgently required. In this context, I should like to say that Colombia has been cooperating on demining projects in Central America within the framework of the Organization of American States. We believe that the establishment of the Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Clearance is a positive step forward. The international community awaits an increase in generous contributions to this Fund from those who in the past have profited from trade in mines and who, at the very least, have a moral responsibility in this regard.”
1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source
“They also indicate that mine clearance alone, even at the increased rate that it is hoped to achieve, will not solve the problem. Equally important are increased and concerted political efforts to stop the further proliferation of land-mines." (A/50/408, para. I 00) It is clear that it will be impossible to resolve this global problem of land-mines unless this proliferation is stopped. The best and most effective way of carrying out this mission is the complete ban on the production, use and transfer of all land-mines. While we wait for this ban to come into force, time is running out, tragically, for all of us. In the meantime, we welcome all measures designed to slow the proliferation of land-mines.”
1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source
“The real magnitude of the problem is shown by the fact that, if land-mine proliferation were halted in 1996, at current rates of funding and clearance it would take more than 10 centuries to eliminate all mines from the face of the Earth. I should like to refer briefly to the report of 6 September 1995 on assistance in mine clearance, presented by the Secretary-General in document A/50/408, in particular chapter V, entitled "Actions for a political solution". That document reiterates that "during the past year, approximately 100,000 land- mines were removed, while between 2 and 5 million mines were newly laid. These figures emphasize that this is not a static problem, but a humanitarian crisis that is growing rapidly.”
1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source
“Mine clearance is therefore imperative, and it calls for a huge effort in overcoming great economic, social and technical difficulties. Each mine yields a profit of between $3 and $15 to the seller and costs the country affected between $300 and $1,000 to remove it. At this rate, clearance of the 110 million mines already laid would cost between $33 billion and $110 billion. This does not take into account the irreparable losses in terms of human life and mutilation, or the huge costs of medical treatment, prostheses and rehabilitation. It is estimated that today more than 250,000 disabled or maimed people require prostheses.”
1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source
“More than 110 million land-mines are scattered throughout 64 countries, almost all of them developing countries. Between 2 million and 5 million additional mines are laid every year. In addition, between 100 million and 150 million are stockpiled. Given the fact that in recent years there has been a large increase in internal conflicts, the problem of mines has acquired a new dimension, and their indiscriminate effects affect more and more people. More than 65 million mines were laid during internal conflicts in the past two decades. According to reports of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), more than 800 people die every month as a result mines, most of them civilians - farmers, women and children - and thousands more are wounded or maimed.”
1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source
“Ms. Vargas de Losada (Colombia) (interpretation from Spanish): In his report on agenda item 70 of the fiftieth session of the General Assembly, contained in document A/50/701 of 3 November 1995, the Secretary- General states that "Land-mines are in reality a weapon of mass destruction, in slow motion, because they indiscriminately kill or maim massive numbers of human beings over a long period of time." (A/50/701, para. 5) There could be no more appropriate or poignant a definition. Land-mines not only cause mutilation and death during and after conflicts, but have devastating effects on entire nations, impeding the work of economic reconstruction and normalization. Mines do not recognize peace agreements or cease-fires, continuing to wage a perpetual war against everything and everyone.”
1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source