US to destroy its landmines, but not on the Korean peninsula
The US has pledged to eliminate all stockpiles of landmines except those to defend South Korea. The decision to exclude the Korean peninsula follows a commitment the US made in June.
The US has pledged to eliminate all stockpiles of landmines except those to defend South Korea.
The decision to exclude the Korean peninsula follows a commitment the US made in June that it would not make, keep or fortify current stockpiles of anti-personnel landmines.
The US is "deeply concerned about the humanitarian effects of anti-personnel landmines", US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. "As the world's leading donor to humanitarian mine action, we have long worked to mitigate the human costs of their use."
Landmines can remain active for years after being buried. Since 1993, Psaki said, the US had provided more than US$2.3 billion in aid to more than 90 countries to dismantle conventional weapons programmes. Some of that money has gone to the clearance of landmines and unexploded munitions.
Countless landmines remain in the demilitarised zone between North and South Korea, left over from the Korean war.
Although the Barack Obama administration says it honours the spirit of the international anti-landmine treaty, the Ottawa Convention, the US is not yet a signatory.
"This announcement brings us one step closer in aligning ourselves with the international humanitarian movement embodied by the Ottawa Convention," Psaki said.
"In the meantime, we will continue our efforts to pursue solutions that would be compliant with and ultimately allow us to join the Ottawa Convention."
