AG/RES. 1935 (XXXIII-O/03)

SUPPORT FOR ACTION AGAINST MINES IN ECUADOR AND PERU 

(Resolution adopted at the fourth plenary session, held on June 10, 2003) 

            THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, 

            HAVING SEEN the report of the General Secretariat on the implementation of the resolutions on mine-clearing (CP/doc.3742/03);

RECALLING: 

            Its resolutions AG/RES. 1411 (XXVI-O/96), AG/RES. 1496 (XXVII-O/97), AG/RES. 1569 (XXVIII-O/98), AG/RES. 1745 (XXX-O/00), AG/RES. 1792 (XXXI-O/01) and AG/RES. 1875 (XXXII-O/02); and 

            Its resolution AG/RES. 1644 (XXIX-O/99), operative paragraph 12, in which it urges member states and permanent observers to lend assistance to the national mine-clearing programs being carried out by Ecuador and Peru in their territories; 

AWARE that the presence of land mines in the vicinity of borders and power grids constitutes a serious threat to civilian populations and stands in the way of economic development in rural and urban areas; 

RECOGNIZING: 

            The major progress achieved by the Governments of Ecuador and Peru in mine-clearing, the destruction of stockpiles, and transparency measures, which have been acknowledged by governments and international organizations committed to the OAS goal of making the Western Hemisphere an anti-personnel-landmine-free zone; 

            The complete elimination of antipersonnel mine stockpiles in Ecuador and Peru through assistance under the “Managua Challenge” Fund, pursuant to the mandates of the Ottawa Convention; 

            The valuable cooperation being provided by both member states, such as Brazil, Canada, and the United States, and permanent observers, such as Austria, Japan, and Spain, to national efforts in Ecuador and Peru to carry forward their mine-clearing programs; and 

            The efficient technical assistance activities being conducted by the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy and the Inter-American Defense Board with respect to mine-clearing programs in Ecuador and Peru; and 

            CONSIDERING the need to continue to support the efforts of the Governments of Ecuador and Peru to expand the scope of international cooperation to mine-clearing in other areas of the two countries as may be required, 

RESOLVES: 

            1.         To acknowledge the work accomplished by the Governments of Ecuador and Peru in destroying their stockpiles and in mine-clearing on the common borders and in other areas of their respective territories. 

            2.         To request member states, permanent observers, and the international community at large to continue lending technical and financial support to the Governments of Ecuador and Peru in implementing the mine-clearing programs and integral action programs against antipersonnel mines conducted in their respective territories. 

            3.         To instruct the General Secretariat to continue to offer its full cooperation to the assistance programs for integral action against antipersonnel mines in Ecuador and Peru, as well as the demining centers that have started to operate in the two countries. 

            4.         To urge the General Secretariat to continue to lend, within the resources allocated in the program-budget of the Organization and other resources, the necessary support required by the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy (UPD) in order to continue its work on mine-clearing programs and on programs aimed at preventive education of the population, the rehabilitation of victims and their reintegration into the work force, and the reclamation of affected areas.

            5.         To instruct the General Secretariat to continue to work, through the UPD, on identifying and raising voluntary contributions from member states, permanent observers, and other states, as well as other organizations, to the Specific Fund intended to continue to finance mine-clearing and integral action programs against antipersonnel mines carried out by Ecuador and Peru in their respective territories.

            6.         To instruct the Permanent Council to continue to consider this topic with a view to pursuing its work toward the objective of making the Western Hemisphere an antipersonnel-land-mine-free zone.

            7.         To instruct the General Secretariat to report to the General Assembly at its thirty-fourth regular session on the implementation of this resolution.