§ Brian WhiteTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has taken to promote the Convention on the prohibition of the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines. [99666]
§ Mr. RammellThe Foreign and Commonwealth Office has lead responsibility within government for humanitarian demining issues, including the Ottawa Convention. This involves playing a full role in the follow-up process to the Convention, including participation in the annual Meeting of States Parties, the most recent of which was held in September 2002. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has also recently assumed the chair of the Sponsorship Committee, a Geneva-based body responsible for determining levels of assistance to States Parties and aspirant countries which would otherwise be financially unable to attend, and has contributed £25,000 to the Committee's funds. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has also recently funded an exploratory visit to the Russian Federation by a UK ordnance expert in connection with 843W the possible establishment of a trust fund for the destruction of stockpiled PFM anti-personnel landmines.