MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Britain 'will miss landmine clearance target'

Britain was accused last week of failing to meet its obligations under the international landmine ban treaty.

The Government signed the Ottawa Convention soon after coming to power in 1997, and when it came into force two years later it gave countries a decade to clear minefields in their territory.

In the case of the United Kingdom, that includes the Falkland Islands. But on the annual report from the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate organisation, classed Britain with the likes of Mozambique, Tajikistan, and Chad as being unlikely to meet its commitment.

So far no action has been taken to clear between 16,000 and 20,000 mines still lying in the Falklands, the Landmine Monitor report pointed out, even though the treaty requires action "as soon as possible".

The weapons, largely from the 1982 Falklands conflict and laid mostly by Argentine forces, are spread in 101 to 120 marked and fenced minefields, covering 20 million square metres.

"The UK has done basically nothing," said Stuart Maslen, one of the editors of the 1,230-page report, widely used as a specialist reference work. "We don't believe that at this stage they can meet their deadline.

"It's clearly not a positive example that a country as rich as the UK can't clear a relatively small problem. It's a question of lack of political will."

As part of its claim to the islands Argentina accepts responsibility for removing the mines, and has agreed to pay most of the costs of a feasibility study due to start this winter.

"They have waited just so they can get Argentinian funding," said Mr Maslen. "That's not an acceptable excuse.

The UK is a major donor to mine clearance around the world, but he said that "doesn't excuse the lack of action for the Falklands".

He added: "We are very concerned those countries and the UK is one, will just simply turn up in 2009 and say 'Could we have another 10 years please?' That's not acceptable.

"It's only those who are most seriously affected who could justify an extension, not those who just can't be bothered."

The impact of landmines was an issue championed by Diana, Princess of Wales, and Labour ministers were keen to associate themselves with her legacy when the treaty came up for discussion.

Tony Blair announced on what would have been her 37th birthday that a Bill would be brought before the Commons to ratify the treaty, and in the debate itself the then foreign secretary, Robin Cook, said passing the measure was the best way MPs could "record their appreciation" of her work.

Around the world, more land, 330 million square metres, was cleared in 2005 than in any other year since the treaty was signed, the report said, with more than four million explosive devices removed from mined areas and battlefields.

Another 405 million square metres formerly thought to be hazardous was reclassified as low risk after surveys and released back into use.

Only three countries - Burma, Russia and Nepal - used landmines last year, according to the document, and Nepal has since agreed not to. A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: "We are fully committed to the Ottawa Convention and we are compliant with it currently.

"We have got until 2009 and we are not off course for that. We have not done nothing, we have made quite a lot of progress.

"We know where they are, they are clearly ring-fenced, and we are helping around the world to clear mines in other countries where they are a real threat."

By Sebastien Berger - Telegraph