§ 29. Mr. EdwardsTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress towards a worldwide landmine ban through the Ottawa Process. [20224]
§ Mr. George RobertsonOn 3 December my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development signed the Ottawa Convention. In the first two days, 125 countries signed the Convention which will ban the production, transfer, manufacture and use of anti-personnel landmines. This is a development which the Government warmly welcome; but there is no room for complacency and we will be pursuing complementary activity, notably in the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, in order to ensure the widest possible participation in a ban of these weapons. The UK will seek to ratify the Convention as soon as possible; primary legislation will be required to enable the UK to meet fully its obligations under the Convention. The Government intend to bring forward the necessary Bill as soon as the Parliamentary timetable allows.