§ Mr. Keith HillTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy towards the United States-sponsored resolution in the United Nations calling for an immediate halt to the export of all anti-personnel mines; and if he will set out his reasons.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryThe United Kingdom supported this resolution; however, in doing so, we stated our view that anti-personnel land mines directed at military targets are legitimate defensive weapons. If they are used in accordance with protocol II of the United Nations weaponry convention, and particularly if they are fitted with self-destructing or self-neutralising mechanisms, they do not pose the same dangers to civilian populations. We think that it would be wrong if possession of self-destructing or self-neutralising anti-personnel mines were restricted to countries with the capacity to manufacture them; and therefore we do not consider that such mines fall within the scope of this resolution.