Debate On Land Mines Ends With Weak Treaty Compromise Only Reflects World’s Military Realities

Thirty months of arduous negotiations over whether to ban land mines ended with a weak compromise treaty Friday that reflected the world’s military realities rather than its humanitarian hopes.

The accord phases out non-detectable plastic mines, which can kill and injure decades after the end of a war, and introduces rules to limit the lifespan of anti-personnel mines planted outside marked fields to three months.

But to appease China and Russia, which have vast stocks of those old-fashioned plastic mines that cannot be detected and do not selfdestruct, the deal gives nations nine years to switch to the detectable, self-destructive variety.

“It is an important achievement in international humanitarian law,” said Johan Molander, a Swedish diplomat who drew up the compromise.

Others, including the International Red Cross, strongly disagreed. The Red Cross described the treaty as “woefully inadequate” and said it might actually encourage the development of new, sophisticated mines.

“I must register my deep disappointment that the progress achieved falls so far short of what I had hoped for,” U.N. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali said.

By the time the treaty comes up for review in five years, an additional 50,000 people will have been killed and at least 80,000 injured by mines, the U.N. chief said.

He said 10 to 25 million mines will have been added to the 110 million already planted by 2001.

“Land mines will continue to be used by the million, produced by the million and transferred by the million. Thousands of children will continue to suffer horrific mutilation. Thousands of farmers working in fields will be blinded or crippled,” Boutros-Ghali said in his statement.