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Mozambique Vows to Destroy Anti-Personnel Landmines
The Mozambican government Wednesday pledged to destroy all its stocks of anti-personnel landmines by 2003, as part of the implementation of the Ottawa Convention outlawing the weapons.
The pledge was given by Deputy Defense Minister Henrique Banze, who was speaking at a ceremony in the district of Moamba, about 60 kilometers northwest of Maputo, where 500 land mines were destroyed.
"This is just the first stage in a process that will lead to the elimination of all stocks of anti-personnel mines by 2003, under the Ottawa Convention," said Banze.
He said the destruction will be gradual and will take place in each of the three military regions (southern, central and northern) .
However, he did not disclose how many landmines are exactly in stock.
The Ottawa Convention, an international convention on the destruction of landmines, entered into force on March 1, 1999.
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