(Resolution adopted at the ninth plenary session, held on June 9, 1995)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
CONSIDERING that throughout the Americas there are approximately one million anti-personnel mines that have not been deactivated, primarily in rural areas;
BEARING IN MIND that mine-clearing programs in Central America are among the highest priorities of the governments of that region;
CONSIDERING that minefields are a constant threat to the safety of the population in the countries of the region;
STRESSING the importance of and need for clearing the mines from these areas so that they will become productive again and provide employment, thus contributing to the socioeconomic development of the countries of the region;
RECOGNIZING that the safety of the population and socioeconomic development are essential to strengthening democracy in Central America;
EMPHASIZING the high humanitarian value of mine-clearing programs;
BEARING IN MIND that the Central American countries affected by minefields have collectively and individually asked the OAS for help in carrying out mine-clearing programs;
RECOGNIZING:
The coordination work of the General Secretariat and its Unit for the Promotion of Democracy, the valuable technical assistance provided by the Inter-American Defense Board, the significant contribution made by member states (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, United States, Uruguay), permanent observers (France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain), and others (Sweden) to mine-removal programs in Nicaragua, Honduras, and Costa Rica; and
The efforts being made in this area by the United Nations to organize the International Meeting on Mine-Clearance Assistance in Geneva from July 5 to 7, 1995; and
NOTING resolution AG/RES. 1191 (XX-O/92) and the cooperation requested from the OAS by the IX Meeting of the Central American Security Commission, held on April 19, 1995,
RESOLVES: