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Thursday 12 February1. Opening of the meeting by the Co-ChairsThe meeting was opened by its Co-Chairs, Mr. Luigi Scotto of Italy and Mr. Carlos Arroyave-Prera of Guatemala, with the support of its Co-Rapporteurs Ms. Rabab Fatima of Bangladesh and Mr. John MacBride of Canada.
2. An overview of the status of stockpile destructionThe Co-Chairs provided an overview of the general status of implementation of Article 4 of the Convention, noting that the States Parties have destroyed over 30,700,000 mines. In addition, the Co-Chairs introduced a overview document prepared by the Implementation Support Unit. As well, the ICBL presented its views on progress made in destroying stockpiles.
3. Updates from relevant States Parties on the status of implementationThe Co-Chairs informed the Standing Committee that in December 2003, a letter was sent to a group of States Parties to invite them to present relevant information on their national stockpile destruction programmes. Presentations by States Parties with deadlines prior to the First Review Conference In addition, the representative of the OAS took the floor to give an update on efforts by the OAS to encourage Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to submit their initial Article 7 report
Presentations by States Parties with deadlines following the First Review Conference
Presentations by States not Parties in destroying stockpiled AP mines
4. Update on assistance and cooperationThe Co-Chairs indicated that the Standing Committee prepared a Food-for-thought paper entitled "Getting the Job Done" based on Article 6 of the Ottawa Convention. This paper provides an overview of the range of opportunities to request and provide assistance for stockpile destruction. The Co-Chairs encouraged the States Parties to study the paper and invited them to discuss it at the next meeting in June. NAMSA presented an overview of the PfP Trust Fund Process and PfP projects linked to stockpile destruction in Europe. Opportunity for interventions by State Parties and others pertaining to assistance and cooperation regarding stockpile destruction 5. Matters of a thematic nature related to stockpile destructionThe Co-Chairs recalled that a food-for-thought paper on post stockpile destruction measures was presented last year and invited Canada to intervene on this matter.
6. Closing remarks by the Co-ChairsCo Chair Mr. Luigi Scotto of Italy closed the meeting by stressing the importance of the Review Conference as an opportunity to review the status of implementation, and assess the challenges that remain in key areas, in particular in stockpile destruction, including destruction technologies, environmental aspects and economics of destruction. 7. Other mattersThe Co-Chairs permitted statements on matters other than stockpile destruction from the following States:
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