§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 23 April,Official Report, column 84, what is his Department's assessment of the effect of Her Majesty's Government's decision to modernise their stock of anti-personnel mines on the prospects of achieving an international agreement banning all anti-personnel mines. [27323]
§ Mr. David DavisWe are committed to pursuing a total ban on anti-personnel land mines. We shall as soon as possible destroy nearly half of our existing stocks of anti-personnel land mines. We intend to destroy the remainder when an international ban is agreed, or when viable alternatives become available. In the meantime, should it become necessary to replace any of the remaining mines, we shall do so only with self-destruct mines. We have taken no final decision to procure any new anti-personnel mines. We shall continue to pursue the policy which, in our view, offers the best prospect of addressing the terrible consequences for innocent civilians of the irresponsible use of anti-personnel land mines.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 23 April,Official Report, column 84, how the Government plan to pursue an international agreement on banning all non-self-destructing anti-personnel mines. [27320]
§ Mr. DavisWe are committed to pursuing a total international ban on all anti-personnel mines and, as an interim measure, will also work for a ban on non-self-destructing mines. We shall consider how best to proceed, in concert with allies and partners who share our objectives, in the light of the conclusion of the UN weaponry convention review conference, which is currently in progress in Geneva.
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§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 23 April,Official Report, column 84, what is his Department's policy towards sharing self-destruct technology with those countries who currently export non-self-destruct anti-personnel mines to help them switch production to self-destruct anti-personnel mines. [27324]
§ Mr. DavisOur aim is to bring about the elimination of all anti-personnel land mines as soon as it is practicable, and in the short term to eliminate particularly non-self-destruct mines which are the most dangerous to civilians. We have also announced a total moratorium on the export of all anti-personnel land mines to all destinations. We shall be guided by these factors in considering any sharing of mine-related technology with any country.