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02.12.2015
Geneva, 2 December 2015 — Finland has formally declared that it has concluded the destruction of its remaining stockpiled anti-personnel mines well ahead of the deadline set by the treaty that bans the production, use, stockpile and transfer of these insidious weapons. The formal announcement was made on the third day of the Fourteenth Meeting of the States Parties (14MSP) to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, or Ottawa Convention, taking place until 4 December at the UN in Geneva. "Finland is proud to declare that the destruction process of well over one million stockpiled mines which began in 2012 is now complete. Upon joining the Ottawa Convention, Finland identified Article 4, which calls for the destruction of all anti-personnel mines, as a key obligation under the treaty," said Päivi Kairamo, Ambassador of Finland to the United Nations in Geneva. "Finland has always promoted the Ottawa Convention's objectives and has contributed millions of Euros to humanitarian mine action. By fulfilling this obligation, Finland contributes to Europe's goal to eradicate these indiscriminate weapons from the continent." By joining the Convention, each State Party undertakes to destroy all stockpiled anti-personnel mines it owns or that are under its jurisdiction or control, not later than four years after the entry into force of this Convention. Finland's destruction deadline was set for 1 July 2016, but the last landmines were destroyed by the Finnish Defence Forces, at a mass demolition camp in Ville Bröijer on 15 August 2015, almost a year prior to its deadline. The estimated cost of the stockpile destruction was approximately €220,000. Finland acceded to the Convention on 9 January 2012, and the Convention entered into force for Finland on 1 July 2012. To date 162 states have joined the Convention, 158 of these no longer hold stocks; together these States Parties have destroyed over 47 million stockpiled landmines. The Convention was adopted in Oslo in 1997, opened for signature in Ottawa the same year and entered into force in 1999. For all communication and/or press-related questions please email the Convention's Implementation Support Unit: isu(at)apminebanconvention.org.
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