GENERAL ASSEMBLY APPEALS FOR SUPPORT FOR THE
MINE-CLEARING PROGRAM IN CENTRAL AMERICA

San José, Costa Rica.- Today, the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) appealed to member and permanent observer states and to the international community "to continue their collaboration and lend their essential support to the Mine-Clearing Program in Central America." It also congratulated the Governments of Ecuador and Peru for their decision to conduct mine-clearing operations along their respective borders.

The resolution adopted at the plenary session acknowledges, "the achievement of the Government of Honduras in concluding in November 2000 the destruction of the antipersonnel mines stockpiled in that country." It also highlights, "the progress made by the Government of Nicaragua," to that end, as well as the establishment of a special platoon to facilitate demarcation and signaling work in the mined areas.

The preambular paragraphs of the General Assembly resolution indicate that the presence of mines in Central America, "continues to constitute a threat to the population and has disastrous effects, primarily on the civilian population --especially children-- causing tragedy to individuals and families, standing in the way of socioeconomic development in vast and rich rural areas, and affecting border integration in those areas."

The resolution also notes with satisfaction the "important contribution" to the Mine-Clearing Program in Central America of Argentina, Brazil Canada, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Peru, the United States, Uruguay, and Venezuela, as well as Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, the Russian Federation, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Regarding mine-clearing efforts in Ecuador and Peru, the General Assembly urges the General Secretariat to continue supporting the work begun by the Governments of Ecuador and Peru, with a view to executing the activities included in their respective assistance programs. It further instructs the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy (UPD) to continue to provide technical assistance and obtain voluntary contributions from member countries, permanent observers, and organizations, "for the common purpose of making the Western Hemisphere an antipersonnel-land-mine-free zone."

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