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SD: Summary and Statements

MONDAY 21 JUNE

1. Opening of the meeting

The meeting was opened by its Co-Chairs, Ivan Gospodinov of Bulgaria and José Tavares of Indonesia. The Co-Chairs were supported by their Co-Rapporteurs, Renata Alisauskiene of Lithuania and Gary Domingo of the Philippines.

In opening the meeting, the Co-Chairs highlighted that they had developed a programme covering following elements: (a) an overview of the status of the implementation of Article 4 of the Convention, (b) updates from States Parties on their efforts to implement Article 4; (c) an opportunity for an update by a relevant State Party on the status of transparency reporting; (d) updates on stockpiled anti-personnel mines discovered after the completion of destruction programmes; and, (e) updates on other developments and initiatives in support of the application of the stockpile destruction aspects of the Cartagena Action Plan.

2. Overview of the status of implementation of Article 4

The Co-Chairs delivered statement providing an overview of the status of Article 4 implementation. This was followed by ICBL sharing its views on this matter.

  • Statement by the Co-Chairs of the Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction
  • Statement by the ICBL PDF 166KB

3. Updates by States Parties on the implementation of Article 4

The Co-Chairs recalled that at the Second Review Conference, the States Parties recorded that while implementation of the obligation to destroy all stockpiled anti-personnel mines as soon as possible remains a great achievement, the matter of stockpile destruction also persists as one of the Convention’s most complex challenges. The Co-Chairs then provided an opportunity for the four States Parties still implementing Article 4 to provide updates.

Following these updates, the following States Parties and others shared their views:

The following States Parties implementing Article 4 responded to the views expressed:

4. Updates from relevant States Parties on the status of transparency reports

The Co-Chairs recalled that the Cartagena Review of the status and operation of the Convention noted that one State Party – Equatorial Guinea – is overdue in providing an initial transparency report as required. The Co-Chairs noted that the information in such reports is essential to provide clarity on stockpiled anti-personnel mines owned or possessed by these States Parties, and, possibly, on the status of programmes for destroying these mines and on the types and quantities of mines destroyed after entry into force. No delegation took the floor under this agenda item.

5. The destruction of previously unknown stockpiles

The Co-Chairs recalled that in Action #12 of the Cartagena Action Plan, it was agreed that “all States Parties will, when previously unknown stockpiles are discovered after stockpile destruction deadlines have passed, report such discoveries in accordance with their obligations under Article 7, take advantage of other informal means to share such information and destroy these mines as a matter of urgent priority.” The following State Party provided an update on this matter.

6. Updates on other developments or initiatives

The Co-Chairs provided an opportunity for updates on other developments and initiatives in support of the application of the stockpile destruction aspects of the Cartagena Action Plan. No delegation took the floor under this agenda item.

7. Closing remarks by the Co-Chairs

  • Statement by the Co-Chairs of the Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction