Military

DATE=07/28/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-292508

TITLE=AFGHANISTAN / LANDMINES (L)

BYLINE=MICHAEL DRUDGE

DATELINE=KABUL

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Afghanistan says it will sign the international treaty to outlaw landmines. Foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah made the announcement at the start of an international anti-landmine conference in the Afghan capital, Kabul. V-O-A's Michael Drudge has details.

TEXT: Afghanistan says it will join the international treaty to ban the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines.

Foreign Minister Abdullah says he expects the Cabinet to ratify the treaty on Monday. Since Afghanistan has no legislature, Cabinet approval is all that is needed to accede to the treaty.

Mr. Abdullah spoke at the opening of a four-day conference in Kabul to promote a total ban of landmines.

/// ABDULLAH ENGLISH ACT ///

Let me categorically say that we will together to destroy each and every landmine in this country and end the suffering, however long it takes.

/// END ACT ///

Afghan President Hamid Karzai told the conference that, with enough support, Afghanistan could complete the job of clearing million of mines in the next seven years.

The United Nations says as many as 10 Afghans are killed or injured in mine explosions every day. The Red Cross says 200-thousand Afghans have been crippled by mines planted during 23 years of conflict.

Among those attending this week's conference is Jody Williams, who won the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize for her anti-landmine campaigning.

She was asked at a news conference if Russia has a special obligation to help Afghanistan, because troops of the former Soviet Union planted so many mine fields in the country.

/// WILLIAMS ACT ///

Russia is going to be building a center here for training and mine action here in this country. More than that, I honestly do not know. But I do, obviously, believe that they have some responsibility in being involved in cleaning up the mess that they made.

/// END ACT ///

The fledgling Afghan government also faces the task of convincing militias in the provinces to continue to give up their mines. Mr. Abdullah says the Defense Ministry will work with local authorities to try to persuade all factions to support the ban. (Signed).

NEB/MWD/TW