Issued by: The Department of Foreign Affairs
MEDIA STATEMENT ON THE AWARDING OF THE 1997 NOBEL PEACE PRIZE TO THE INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO BAN LANDMINES
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr A Nzo, today expressed his warm congratulations to Ms Jody Williams and the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) were today awarded the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize.
"This is a fitting tribute to Ms Williams and the ICBL who have for the last two years striven to focus the world's attention on the urgent need to ban anti-personnel mines and who have worked closely with governments to achieve a treaty that comprehensively bans anti-personnel mines. They have, through hard work, persistence and determination led the banning of an entire category of inhumane weapons and in so doing made the world safer, more humane and more caring.
The South African Government has worked closely in partnership with other governments, the Inernational Campaign to Ban Landmines and their affiliated partner, the South African Campaign to Ban Landmines (SACL) on a national, regional and international basis within the Ottawa Process o ensure that efforts to deal with the global landmine crisis are ultimately successful.
The South African Government looks forward to joining with the ICBL in the challenges that lie ahead after the signature of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction in Ottawa in December 1997. Together we will work to promote the universality of the Convention and to contribute to the removal of anti-personnel mines placed throughout the world and to providing assistance for the care and rehabilitation, including th social and economic integration, of mine victims".
Background document is attached for easy reference.
BACKGROUND
The South African Cabinet decided on 19 February 1997 to prohibit the use, development, production and stockpiling of anti-personnel landmines with immediate effect. The South African Cabinet further decided that South Africa's existing stockpile of anti-personnel landmines would be destroyed as soon as possible.
The Oslo Diplomatic Conference on an International Total Ban on Anti-Personnel Landmines was held from 1-18 September 1997 in Oslo, Norway with the objective to negotiate a Convention banning anti-personnel mines. On 18 September 1997 the Conference adopted the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction.
The Conferece was chaired by Ambassador JS Selebi, South Africa's Permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, and Mr AS Minty, Deputy Director-General for Multilateral Affairs, led the South African delegation to the Conference. The Convention sets a new norm in international humanitarian law where a weapon of war has been banned due to its indiscriminate effects and the superfluous injury it causes to civilians. The Convention places an obligation on States Parties to, without exceptions or reservations, ban anti-personnel mines and ensure their destruction. The Convention will be opened for signature on 3 December 1997 in Ottawa, Canada, and will enter into force after 40 instruments of ratification or accession have been deposited with the Depository.
The Conference was the result of an initiative started by Canada in October 1996 to build momentum towards the earliest possible conclusion of a legally-binding international agreement to ben anti-personnel landmines. This initiative was borne out of recognition that the extreme humanitarian and socioeconomic costs associated with the use of these landmines requires urgent action on the part of the international community to ban and eliinate this scourge to society.
This initiative has come to be known as the Ottawa Process which has as its main objective a fast track process to concluding a antipersonnel landmine ban. It differs substantially from the position of those States which promote the idea of step-by-step negotiations to be held at the United Nations Conference on Disarmament (CD) in Geneva. However, there has been no consensus among the members of the CD to negotiate the issue.
Chronology of South Africa's policy on landmines:
1993 - No coherent government policy to address the problems caused by landmines.
1994 - Moratorium on the marketing, export and transit of all types of landmines.
1995 - Accession to the Certain Conventional Weapons Convention (CCW) on 13 September 1995. Amongst others, this Convention restricts the use of landmines.
1996 - Ban on the export of all types of landmines and the suspension of the operational use of anti-personnel landmines. Support the Canadian initiative to ensure "the earliest possible conclsion of a legally binding international agreement to ban anti-personnel landmines."
1997 - 19 February, prohibition on the use, development, production and stockpiling of anti-prsonnel landmines. Destruction of stockpiled anti-personnel landmines commences.
Chronology of international campaign by States to restrict the use and ban anti-personnel landmines:
1994 - United Nations resolution calling on States to adopt a moratorium on the export of anti-personnel landmines.
1995 - Review Conference of the certain Convention Weapons Convention (CCW).
1996 - Adoption of revised Protocol II of CCW which deals with landmines.
Canada launches initiative to ban anti-personnel landmines.
United Nations adopts resolution on an agreement to ban such landmines.
1997 - Various regional initiatives, including an OAU meeting, in support of a global ban on anti-personnel landmines.
Experts meet in Vienna to provide inputs into what has become known as the Austrian draft text which will be the basis for negotiation in Oslo.
Brussels meeting in June on landmines and the adoption of the Brussels Declaration.
Oslo Diplomatic Conference adopts the "Convention on the Prohibition ofthe Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction".
Signing ceremony in Ottawa on 3-4 December 1997.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRETORIA 10 OCTOBER 1997