CONVENTIONAL DISARMAMENT, NON-PROLIFERATION AND ARMS CONTROL

Statement by Mr AS Minty at the First CCW Review Conference, 1995

STATEMENT BY MR ABDUL S MINTY, HEAD OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN DELEGATION AT THE FIRST REVIEW CONFERENCE OF THE STATES PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION ON PROHIBITIONS OR RESTRICTIONS ON CERTAIN CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS WHICH MAY BE DEEMED TO BE EXCESSIVELY INJURIOUS OR TO HAVE INDISCRIMINATE EFFECTS (CCW), VIENNA, 26 SEPTEMBER 1995

Mr President,

On behalf of the delegation of South Africa I would like to congratulate you on your election to the presidency of this important and timely Review Conference. I wish you every success in bringing it to a successful conclusion and assure you, and all other officers of the Conference, of my delegation's full co-operation and support.

Mr President,

I have the pleasure of informing you that South Africa acceded to the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional weapons Which May be Deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects (CCW) on 13 September 1995. We believe that the universality of the CCW is an objective to which we should all strive. We shall for our part, through appropriate consultations in our region and continent, encourage more states to accede to it. South Africa 's accession to the CCW emphasises my country's commitment to the elimination of the suffering which is caused by the scourge of war and other armed conflicts; to the promotion of international peace and security; and to our responsibility to implement arms control policies as a vehicle to this end. My delegation will accordingly participate in the work of the Main Committees in the full expectation that the CCW will soon enter into force for South Africa and that our delegation's responsibilities here therefore extend beyond those of an observer.

The number of innocent civilians killed or maimed by long-lived anti-personnel mines well after the end of armed conflicts has shocked the international community. We share the global concern that the bulk of these are so-called long-lived anti-personnel mines. That is why this issue is one of the most important questions on the international agenda.

Past armed conflicts have left a legacy of massive land mine problems in various parts of the world. Southern Africa has been particularly afflicted by the indiscriminate and often highly irresponsible use of these mines. We in the region are extremely sensitive to the issue. Democratic South Africa is determined to pursue every avenue to eliminate this problem and we consequently support the ultimate goal of the eventual elimination of anti-personnel land mines. In this context, the implementation of responsible international arms control policies must be seen as an instrument for the eventual achievement of this goal. That is our long-term objective, but our immediate concern has to be to prevent the proliferation of long-lived anti-personnel land mines and to restrict their use.

Mr President,

Following the democratic transformation of South Africa , my country has committed itself to being a responsible world citizen. South Africa 's Constitution accordingly binds it to comply with international law and to employ its armed forces for the defence of the country and its people. On an ongoing basis and in consultation with other states, especially in Southern Africa and the rest of the continent, South Africa will continue to do its utmost to reduce any potential for conflict and to review its defence policy to ensure that it at all times complies with international law and its Constitution. We have undergone a major transition and this has meant the revision of our defence and security policies. This is an ongoing and intricate process.

Mr President,

It was in this context that South Africa co-sponsored the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 49/75D of December 1994 which urged states to implement a moratorium on the export of anti-personnel land mines. This action was in line with the moratorium on the marketing, export and transit of all types of land mines which South Africa had already declared earlier in the year. Mr President, I am pleased to inform you that my government has today announced that our moratorium is to be extended by the introduction of a permanent ban on the export or sale of long-lived anti-personnel land mines.

In addition to this decision and as a result of a comprehensive review of our policies, South Africa intends to pursue the following practical measures:

South Africa will endeavour to develop new technologies for self-destructing and self-deactivating anti-personnel mines. We will share the benefits of such technology in order to prevent the untold suffering caused by the use of long-lived anti-personnel mines.
South Africa will within a realistic time-frame, replace its existing long-lived anti-personnel land mines with self-destructing and self-deactivating anti-personnel mines, and will in this process destroy its existing stocks of long-lived anti-personnel land mines.
South Africa is committed to improving its advanced demining and mine-countermeasure technologies since we place a high priority on making a real and practical contribution in this regard, especially in Southern Africa and Africa .
South Africa will only use land mines for defensive purposes within the constraints of the CCW.
South Africa will, on the basis of the knowledge garnered from new technologies, explore the feasibility of developing discriminating and viable alternatives to the use of anti-personnel mines. The absence of these alternatives is a major obstacle to achieving our common objective of prohibiting long-lived anti-personnel mines.
South Africa commits itself to abide by the decisions reached at this Conference.

Mr President,

South Africa is gravely concerned at the ready-availability to individuals and groups in some areas of the world of low-cost mines, including long-lived anti-personnel mines. This is a problem which needs special attention and the international community should pursue measures to put an effective end to it.

Mr President,

In participating in the Review Conference South Africa is seeking to promote the following:

The universal application of the CCW;
The strengthening of the provisions of Protocol II of the Convention as an incremental step towards the ultimate goal of the elimination of anti-personnel land mines;
The extension of the scope of the CCW to cover internal conflicts;
The prohibition on the transfer of all long-lived anti-personnel land mines, and on the transfer of all mines to non-states parties to the to the CCW;
The prohibition of non-detectable anti-personnel mines;
The exclusive use of reliable self-destructing and self-deactivating anti-personnel land mines within a realistic time-frame;
The destruction of existing stocks of long-lived anti-personnel mines as soon as these can be replaced, within a realistic time-frame, by self-destructing and self-deactivating anti-personnel mines;
The adoption of further restrictions on the use of anti-personnel land mines so as to avoid civilian casualties;
The introduction of effective provisions concerning technological co-operation and assistance in mine clearance to assist states parties to meet their obligations under the Convention;
The co-operation of all states in the establishment of an effective system of compliance verification under the CCW;
The implementation of a new Protocol to ban the use of laser weapons designed to blind permanently; and
The holding of review conferences at regular intervals to evaluate the progress which has been achieved in implementing of the Convention.

Mr President,

It is South Africa 's hope that this approach will contribute to the attainment of what must be the ultimate objective of the international community, namely a multilateral prohibition on the use of anti-personnel mines. This Conference presents us with a unique opportunity to reach collective agreement on an issue of major concern to the international community. We should not fail to take up the challenge.

Mr President, I thank you.