B4-0596, 0625, 0648, 0660, 0677 and 0691/97

Resolution on anti-personnel mines

The European Parliament,

- having regard to previous resolutions on this subject, in particular those of 29 June 1995 on landmines and blinding laser weapons, and on anti-personnel landmines: a murderous impediment to development, 16 November 1995 on the failure of the international conference on anti-personnel mines and laser weapons, 14 March 1996 on anti-personnel landmines and the Vienna International Conference on Certain Conventional Weapons, and 23 May 1996 on the failure of the Conference on anti-personnel mines,

A. regretting the continued inhumane and tragic impact anti-personnel mines have on vulnerable civilian populations throughout the world,

B. noting the significant progress the Brussels International Conference for a Ban on Anti-personnel Mines and Ottawa Process have made towards a ban on anti-personnel mines,

C. congratulating the 97 signatories to the Brussels Declaration in favour of a December 1997 treaty and in support of the Austrian draft text,

D. aware of the immediacy of the 1-19 September negotiations of the Ottawa Process to be held in Oslo,

E. recognizing that the goals of the Ottawa Process are supported by Council Decision96/571/CFSP of 1 October 1996 committing the European Union to "the goal of the total elimination of landmines" and to working actively "towards the achievement at the earliest possible date of an effective international agreement to ban these weapons world-wide",

F. regretting the failure of the Council to update its anti-personnel mine policy since the commencement of the Ottawa Process,

G. regretting that the Council has not yet detailed how it will implement Decision 96/571/CFSP despite the fact that the European Parliament posed specific questions to that effect before and during its 9-13 June 1997 part-session,

H. commending the efforts of the Organization of American States, the Organisation of African Unity and the Caribbean Community in calling for the establishment of mine-free zones in their regions,

I. acknowledging the profound challenges victims of landmines face after an explosion and commending the intrepid role survivors have played in the movement for a global ban,

1. Calls on all Member States to sign the Brussels Declaration and join their European Union partners in good faith at the September negotiations to ban anti-people mines in Oslo;

2. Calls on the Council to adopt a joint action in favour of the Brussels Declaration to ensure that all Member States abide by the spirit of Decision 96/571/CFSP and participate in the Oslo negotiations;

3. Urges that such a joint action include specific funding to assist the participation of government and non-governmental delegations from mine-affected countries in the Oslo negotiations;

4. Encourages Member States to take additional bilateral action to facilitate the participation of mine-affected countries in the Oslo negotiations;

5. Calls on the Council of Ministers to develop monitoring and enforcement mechanisms for the common moratorium on the export of anti-personnel landmines and anti-personnel mine manufacturing technology to all destinations instituted under Council Decision 96/571/CFSP;

6. Calls on the Council to join other regional efforts to ban anti-personnel mines by declaring its aim of making the European Union a mine-free zone;

7. Calls on Member States to introduce and support the amendment to the Austrian draft treaty banning anti-personnel mines for victim assistance proposed by the Landmines Survivors Network;

8. Calls on all States to take measures to stop the smuggling and illegal trafficking of landmines;

9. Calls on the Commission not to reduce funds for mine clearance, and stresses that firmsor parts of firms involved in mine production should be excluded from any EU budget allocation for mine clearance;

10. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.