Key
developments since May 2001:New Zealand has continued its
international advocacy in support of the Mine Ban Treaty, and increased its
contributions to mine action programs.
MINE BAN POLICY
New Zealand signed the
Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997, enacted implementation legislation (the
Anti-Personnel Mines Prohibition Act 1998) on 9 December 1998, and deposited its
instrument of ratification on 27 January 1999. The treaty entered into force
for New Zealand on 1 July 1999.
New Zealand participated in the Third Meeting of States Parties in Nicaragua
in September 2001 with a two-person delegation, a government representative and
an NGO representative from the New Zealand Campaign Against Landmines
(CALM).[1] In its statement New
Zealand outlined its efforts to promote universalization of the treaty in the
Pacific and its contributions to mine clearance activities. It expressed
support for the development of universally understood and agreed compliance
measures and warned, “It would not be in the Convention’s interests
for it to be perceived as a lame duck when allegations and evidence of
non-compliance arise.”[2]
Representatives from the Mission to the UN in Geneva actively participated in
the January and May 2002 intersessional Standing Committee meetings, and New
Zealand has continued its involvement in the “Universalization Contact
Group.” New Zealand also attended the regional stockpile destruction
seminar hosted by Malaysia in August 2001, and the Regional Seminar on Landmines
in Southeast Asia hosted by Thailand in May 2002.
New Zealand submitted its third Article 7 transparency report on 29 April
2002, covering the calendar year 2001. It is essentially a “nil”
report, with no new developments to report, except for Form J, which details New
Zealand’s mine action contributions in 2001.
In November 2001, New Zealand cosponsored and voted in favor of UN General
Assembly Resolution 56/24M, calling for universalization of the Mine Ban Treaty.
In the UNGA First Committee debate, Ambassador Clive Pearson stated that the
treaty process “stands out as a uniquely successful humanitarian and
disarmament endeavour” in a year in which he claimed the disarmament, arms
control and non-proliferation agenda suffered “some serious setbacks. The
‘can do’ dynamic among the Convention’s partners...is a
pertinent reminder...that leadership in disarmament can be a potent and positive
force” and “a reminder of the power of collective
will.”[3]
In December 2001, New Zealand participated in the third annual meeting of
State Parties to Amended Protocol II of the Convention on Conventional Weapons
(CCW), as well as the Second CCW Review Conference, with a delegation that
included a representative from the Ministry of Defence. It submitted its
Article 13 annual report on 30 November
2001.[4]
New Zealand has participated in the work of the CCW Experts Group on
Explosive Remnants of War (ERW). New Zealand has stated that
“industry-driven improvements to munition or fusing design, while
attractive, will never be enough” and expressed a strong preference for a
“legally-binding instrument” on ERW, “if necessary after an
expert process to explore appropriate
modalities.”[5]
In November 2001, Landmine Monitor Report 2001 was distributed at a
function in Parliament Buildings and CALM continues to distribute the report to
local universities and governments of Pacific Island states. The Minister for
Disarmament and Arms Control, Matt Robson, described the 2001 report as
“excellent” and said it ”will continue to be a useful tool for
encouraging transparency and promoting universalisation” of the ban
treaty.[6] CALM continued its
campaign work, distributing a regular newsletter, updating its website, meeting
with government departments and lobbying diplomats from other countries.
PRODUCTION, TRANSFER, STOCKPILING, AND USE
New Zealand has never produced or exported
antipersonnel mines. It has taken the formal position that transit of
antipersonnel mines through New Zealand territory is prohibited by New
Zealand’s law.[7]
The Chief of Defence Force confirmed to Landmine Monitor that New Zealand,
“...at the time of the ban in 1996 had no anti-personnel landmines (APL)
in service. It did however...have a number of surplus training/practice APL,
which were destroyed in 1997, as they were superfluous to future training
requirements.” He indicated New Zealand retains a “very limited
quantity of ‘inert practice mines,’ used solely for training
personnel in counter-mine clearance
operations.”[8] Since
these are inert mines, they are not reported in the annual Article 7 Report.
New Zealand also has command-detonated Claymore mines, which are not
prohibited by the Mine Ban Treaty.
MINE ACTION
New Zealand has contributed approximately NZ$12.8
million (US$6.23 million) in both financial and in-kind contributions to mine
action programs since
1992/1993.[9]
Financial and in-kind funding by the New Zealand government is shown in the
accompanying tables, which reflect NZ$2,269,753 (US$953,296) in expenditures in
the last financial year (1 July 2000-30 June
2001).[10] This includes
NZ$1,244,203 (US$522,565) in funding for mine action programs and an additional
NZ$1,025,550 (US$430,731) for in-kind contributions.This represents an
increase of 25 percent (NZ$454,144) over the previous financial year. New
Zealand funds programs in Cambodia, Laos, and Mozambique.
New Zealand views its in-kind contributions of New Zealand Defence Force
(NZDF) technical advisors as “a cornerstone of our assistance,” and
“an effective way of developing capacity among local
communities.”[15]
New Zealand In-kind Mine Action Contributions in
2000/2001[16]
Two NZDF personnel serve as technical advisers with CMAC.
$225,250 ($94,605)
Mozambique
Two New Zealanders currently work in the programme, now administered by
UNDP.
$277,000($116,340)
Laos
New Zealand has deployed two personnel
(a logistics/procurement adviser and a national technical adviser) to the
Laos UXO programme since 1997.
$236,500($99,330)
UNHQ
New York
One NZDF adviser serves in the Mine Action Service in the Department of
Peacekeeping Operations.
$286,800 ($120,456)
Total
$1,025,550 ($430,731)
In December 2001, Major John Flanagan of the NZDF returned home from
successfully directing the Kosovo Mine Action Center and was awarded the Officer
of New Zealand Order of Merit medal for his
contribution.[18]
The Landmine Research Group in the School of Engineering at the University of
Auckland has continued to investigate new technologies for detecting landmines,
including stimulated thermal imaging and ground-penetrating radar, as well as
data fusion as a way of increasing the reliability of detection
systems.[19] In 2001, a new
project was started on tripwire detection, especially for fragmentation mines
such as the PROM-1, which pose a major hazard for
deminers.[20] The research
group has links with similar research teams overseas, and especially with
workers at the Joint Research Center of the European
Commission.[21]
No reports have been received of injuries or deaths to New Zealanders
overseas due to mines or unexploded ordnance (UXO) in the past
year.[22]
[1] Paul Tipping, New Zealand’s
Ambassador to Mexico, and John Head, Spokesperson of the New Zealand Campaign
Against Landmines (CALM). [2] Statement
by Paul Tipping, New Zealand’s Ambassador to Mexico, to the Third Meeting
of States Parties, Managua, 19 September 2001, p.
2. [3] Statement by the Ambassador for
Disarmament of New Zealand, Clive Wallace Pearson, to the First Committee
General Debate, United Nations General Assembly, New York, 11 October
2001. [4] New Zealand National Report,
CCW/AP.II/CONF.3/NAR.26. [5] Statement
by the Ambassador, Clive Wallace Pearson, to the First Committee General Debate,
United Nations General Assembly Fifty-Sixth Session, New York, 11 October
2001. [6] Letter to Neil Mander,
Convenor of NZ Campaign Against Landmines, from Matt Robson, Minister for
Disarmament and Arms Control, 8 April
2002. [7] See Landmine Monitor Report
2001, p. 469. [8] Letter to Landmine
Monitor (N.K. Mander, Convenor of CALM) from B.R. Ferguson, Air Marshal, Chief
of New Zealand Defence Force, ref: NZDF 1540/1, 17 May
2002. [9] Landmine Monitor used the
following conversion rate: NZ$= US$0.48. Letter to NZ Campaign Against
Landmines, from Matt Robson, Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control, 13 May
2002. [10] Unless otherwise noted all
information in this section is drawn from Letter to NZ Campaign Against
Landmines, from Matt Robson, Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control, 8 April
2002. [11] Financial Year: 1 July 2000 -
30 June 2001. [12] Landmine Monitor used
the following conversion rate: NZ$1 =
US$0.42. [13] This figure represents two
years of funding as grants for 2000 and 2001 were both paid in
2000/01. [14] Article 7 Report, Form J,
29 April 2002. [15] Letter to Neil
Mander, Convenor, NZ Campaign Against Landmines, from Hon. Matt Robson, Minister
for Disarmament and Arms Control, 13 May
2002. [16] Financial Year 1 July 2000 -
30 June 2001. [17] Landmine Monitor used
the following conversion rate: NZ$1 =
US$0.42. [18] Email to Neil Mander,
Convenor of NZ Campaign Against Landmines from Major John Flanagan, New Zealand
Army, 20 May 2002. [19] Letter to Neil
Mander, Convenor of NZ Campaign Against Landmines, from Hon. Matt Robson,
Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control, 8 April
2002. [20]
Ibid. [21]
Ibid. [22] Ibid.
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