US Rejects Landmine Ban Treaty
Nov. 26, 09 (Hamsayeh.Net) - The United States government has once again rejected a global demand comprised of more than 150 countries, on a treaty banning the use of landmines. US government officials announced Tuesday, ‘A policy review had found the US could not meet its national defence requirements without landmines.
‘This administration undertook a policy review and we decided that our landmine policy remains in effect,’ Ian Kelly, the state department spokesman, said. "We determined that we would not be able to meet our national defence needs nor our security commitments to our friends and allies if we signed this convention," he added.
The decision will deal a major blow to a review conference on the 10-year-old Mine Ban Treaty, which envisions an end to production, use, stockpiling and trade in landmines, getting underway in Cartagena, Colombia. Other countries joining the US on holding out to the agreement include, China, Russia, India, Pakistan, and Myanmar.
Leading advocate for the treaty and a US Senator, Patrick Leahy, expressed outraged at the decision calling it ‘a default of US leadership – cursory and half-hearted.’ 'It is a lost opportunity for the United States to show leadership instead of joining with China and Russia and impeding progress,' Leahy said in a statement.
According to latest statistics, landmine explosions cause 5,197 casualties each year across the globe. Over third of the casualties are children.
In the course of Iran-Iraq war, the Baathist government of Saddam Hussein, supported by Western powers was able to plant millions of landmines across the borders between the two countries. The landmines, which could still be found in the area, continue to take human casualties on Iranian side of the border.
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