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| U.S. Pledges Steps to Comply With Land Mine Treaty | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The Obama administration on Friday announced measures to reduce and eventually eliminate its stockpile of antipersonnel land mines, with the aim of joining the global treaty that prohibits them. | The Obama administration on Friday announced measures to reduce and eventually eliminate its stockpile of antipersonnel land mines, with the aim of joining the global treaty that prohibits them. |
| The announcement, made by an American observer delegation to a conference on the progress of the 15-year-old treaty, was stronger than the previously stated administration position — that it was studying the treaty’s provisions. | The announcement, made by an American observer delegation to a conference on the progress of the 15-year-old treaty, was stronger than the previously stated administration position — that it was studying the treaty’s provisions. |
| The administration did not indicate when the United States would join the treaty, known as the Ottawa Convention, which the Clinton administration had originally encouraged and which most nations have signed. | The administration did not indicate when the United States would join the treaty, known as the Ottawa Convention, which the Clinton administration had originally encouraged and which most nations have signed. |
| Human rights groups and disarmament advocates who have increasingly criticized the United States for its reluctance to sign the treaty cautiously welcomed the announcement, although they had been pressing for more. | Human rights groups and disarmament advocates who have increasingly criticized the United States for its reluctance to sign the treaty cautiously welcomed the announcement, although they had been pressing for more. |
| “The new thing here is the intent to join the treaty,” Stephen Goose, the executive director of the arms division at Human Rights Watch, who is attending the treaty conference in Maputo, Mozambique, said in an email. He also said that many participants at the conference were trying to get a better sense of what the Americans intended to do. | “The new thing here is the intent to join the treaty,” Stephen Goose, the executive director of the arms division at Human Rights Watch, who is attending the treaty conference in Maputo, Mozambique, said in an email. He also said that many participants at the conference were trying to get a better sense of what the Americans intended to do. |
| The American delegation said in a statement read out by the United States ambassador to Mozambique, Douglas M. Griffiths, that the United States would no longer produce or acquire antipersonnel land mines, or replace old ones that expire. | The American delegation said in a statement read out by the United States ambassador to Mozambique, Douglas M. Griffiths, that the United States would no longer produce or acquire antipersonnel land mines, or replace old ones that expire. |
| “We are very pleased with the U.S. announcement that it intends to accede to the Mine Ban Treaty, and that it has instituted a new policy banning future production of antipersonnel mines,” Mr. Goose said after the announcement. | “We are very pleased with the U.S. announcement that it intends to accede to the Mine Ban Treaty, and that it has instituted a new policy banning future production of antipersonnel mines,” Mr. Goose said after the announcement. |
| But he was also critical. “It makes little sense to acknowledge that the weapons must be banned due to the humanitarian harm they cause, and yet insist on being able to use them,” he said. “The U.S. should set a target date for joining the Mine Ban Treaty, should commit to no use of antipersonnel mines until it accedes, and should begin destruction of its stocks.” | But he was also critical. “It makes little sense to acknowledge that the weapons must be banned due to the humanitarian harm they cause, and yet insist on being able to use them,” he said. “The U.S. should set a target date for joining the Mine Ban Treaty, should commit to no use of antipersonnel mines until it accedes, and should begin destruction of its stocks.” |
| The United States has not disclosed precise details about the size of its stockpile. Arms control experts have estimated it to be between 10 million and 13 million. | The United States has not disclosed precise details about the size of its stockpile. Arms control experts have estimated it to be between 10 million and 13 million. |
| The statement by the delegation, which is led by Steven R. Costner, the deputy director of the State Department’s Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement, also said that the United States was “diligently pursuing solutions that would be compliant with and ultimately allow the United States to accede to the Ottawa Convention.” | The statement by the delegation, which is led by Steven R. Costner, the deputy director of the State Department’s Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement, also said that the United States was “diligently pursuing solutions that would be compliant with and ultimately allow the United States to accede to the Ottawa Convention.” |
| Mr. Griffiths said the policy included experimental work “to ascertain how to mitigate the risks associated with the loss of antipersonnel land mines.” | Mr. Griffiths said the policy included experimental work “to ascertain how to mitigate the risks associated with the loss of antipersonnel land mines.” |
| American defense officials have argued that these weapons have a strategic value — in deterring ground invasions, for example — and that the United States would put itself at a disadvantage by renouncing them. | American defense officials have argued that these weapons have a strategic value — in deterring ground invasions, for example — and that the United States would put itself at a disadvantage by renouncing them. |
| Other powerful nations and potential American adversaries — notably Russia, China and Iran — have not signed the treaty. | Other powerful nations and potential American adversaries — notably Russia, China and Iran — have not signed the treaty. |
| Disarmament advocates have argued that the American reluctance to sign may be dissuading the other recalcitrant nations from joining. | Disarmament advocates have argued that the American reluctance to sign may be dissuading the other recalcitrant nations from joining. |
| The treaty, which first took effect in 1999, is regarded as a triumph of the disarmament movement and has sharply reduced the use and destructive effects of antipersonnel land mines. | The treaty, which first took effect in 1999, is regarded as a triumph of the disarmament movement and has sharply reduced the use and destructive effects of antipersonnel land mines. |
| These weapons, once common but now almost universally recognized as insidious and indiscriminate, are designed to detonate when unsuspecting victims step on or near them. They can lay dormant for decades in old war zones. | These weapons, once common but now almost universally recognized as insidious and indiscriminate, are designed to detonate when unsuspecting victims step on or near them. They can lay dormant for decades in old war zones. |
| Despite the progress in decontamination and a growth in the number of signers to more than 160 countries, thousands of people are killed or maimed annually by residual land mines, roughly half of them children. | Despite the progress in decontamination and a growth in the number of signers to more than 160 countries, thousands of people are killed or maimed annually by residual land mines, roughly half of them children. |
| Although it has not joined the treaty, the United States remains the largest single donor to the cause of land mine decontamination and medical care for victims, providing more than $2.3 billion since 1993 for conventional weapons destruction programs in other countries. | Although it has not joined the treaty, the United States remains the largest single donor to the cause of land mine decontamination and medical care for victims, providing more than $2.3 billion since 1993 for conventional weapons destruction programs in other countries. |