Contrary to Donald Trump’s decisions, the American administration announced on Tuesday that it was renouncing the use or production of antipersonnel mines, specifying that this commitment did not apply on the Korean peninsula.
The world is once again witnessing the devastating effect landmines can have in the context of Russia’s brutal and unprovoked war against UkraineAdrienne Watson, spokeswoman for the National Security Council, a body attached to the presidency, commented in a statement on Tuesday.
Russian forces in Ukraine use explosive ordnance, including landmines, irresponsiblywhat greatly affects civilians and damages strategic civilian infrastructurecommented Stanley Brown, a senior State Department official, during a press conference.
Adrienne Watson clarified that Washington’s objective, termwas to join the 1997 Ottawa convention.
This treaty, which prohibits anti-personnel mines, has been ratified by more than 160 countries, including all NATO members except the United States.
Russia, China and India are not signatories either.
The United States military, however, did not use antipersonnel mines in a manner significant since the Gulf War in 1991, said Stanley Brown.
Pending eventual ratification, the United States is aligning itself with the main commitments of the Ottawa Convention, renouncing to use, develop, produce, sell or encourage the use of mines.
The text also calls for the destruction of mines that countries have in their possession.
Except in the Korean Peninsula
But none of these American promises apply on the Korean Peninsula.
Washington points out that as it stands, adhering to the Ottawa convention is not compatible with the commitments made by the United States to defend South Korea.
The NGO Handicap International welcomed, on Twitter, a excellent news from the Biden administration, but called on the United States to join the 1997 grand treaty: landmines should be eradicated once and for all.
Stanley Brown indicated that the United States currently had some 3 million mines in stock, but did not specify how many would be destroyed, or on the contrary kept in the name of commitments made to South Korea.
The announcement of the Biden administration revives the orientations decided by Barack Obama, but on which Donald Trump had returned, to the great displeasure of human rights associations.
The former Republican president had indeed lifted in 2020 the restrictions weighing on the production and use by the United States of these devastating weapons for civilian populations.
anti-personnel mines, explosive remnants of war and the improvised mines killed an average of 19 people every day in 2020, according to the latest Landmine Monitor tally.
The number of victims in 2020 jumped 21%, due to the slowdown in mine clearance efforts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to this organization.
The United States claims to be doing its part in this difficult work of destroying mines, recalling that it has invested more than 4.2 billion dollars in a hundred countries since 1993 via programs for the destruction of conventional weapons.
We will continue this important workAdrienne Watson said, calling Tuesday’s announcements a new step in the process that restores the leading role of the United States in the world.
France Media Agency
Source: Radio-Canada
