RI agrees to sign pact on landmines

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia announced yesterday that it has decided to sign a convention which will ban the stockpile, export, production and use of anti-personnel landmines.

The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the Indonesian government yesterday decided to attend the Ottawa conference on Dec. 2 through Dec. 4 and sign the treaty on the ban of anti- personnel mines.

"The decision to sign the convention is proof of the Indonesian government's commitment to the basic aims of the convention," the statement said.

Indonesian foreign minister Ali Alatas is expected to lead the Indonesian delegation to the conference in the Canadian capital.

The Ottawa conference comes on the heels of a series of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings in Vancouver which will end on Nov. 26.

More than 100 countries are expected to sign the treaty which will effectively ban anti-personnel mines in most parts of the world.

At least 40 signatories must ratify the treaty in order for it to become internationally binding.

Despite international enthusiasm for the ban, one of the world's major producers of landmines, the United States, still refuses to commit itself to the treaty.

Washington maintains it will only sign the treaty if there is an exemption allowing it to keep using landmines to defend South Korea.

Landmines kill some 26,000 people every year and maim thousands more for life, mostly civilians. (mds)