AG/RES. 1413 (XXVI-O/96): Support for Mine-Clearing in Central America

(Resolution adopted at the eighth plenary session, held on June 7, 1996)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

BEARING IN MIND that the presence of thousands of antipersonnel mines in the region is a continuous and grave threat to the population, causing individual and family tragedies, hindering socioeconomic development in vast fertile areas of the countryside, and affecting border integration in these areas;

CONSIDERING that the Central American countries affected by the presence of antipersonnel mines have attached the highest priority to mine-clearing activities and have reiterated the urgency of completing those efforts, if possible by the year 2000;

STRESSING the great humanitarian value of mine-clearing programs;

RECOGNIZING the efforts being made by the governments of Costa Rica, Honduras, and Nicaragua to continue their mine-clearing activities;

MINDFUL of recent achievements in the peace process in Guatemala and that country's interest in conducting the mine-clearing program in its territory;

NOTING with satisfaction the important contributions by member states such as Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Peru, the United States, and Uruguay, and by permanent observer states, such as France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland, to the mine-clearing program in Central America;

NOTING FURTHER the coordination and fund-raising work of the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) and the valuable advisory services rendered by the Inter-American Defense Board for the Mine-Clearing Program in Central America; and

RECALLING its resolution AG/RES. 1343 (XXV-O/95), "Mine-Clearing Programs," in which it urges "the OAS member states and permanent observers, as well as the international community, to continue cooperating with and providing financial support to the Organization of American States and the Central American countries concerned in their efforts to complete their mine-clearing programs,"

RESOLVES:

1. To reiterate to the member states and permanent observers, as well as the international community, its request that they continue cooperating with and providing financial support to the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Central American countries concerned in their efforts to complete their mine-clearing programs.

2. To urge the Secretary General to continue, insofar as possible, to provide the necessary support to the Central American countries for continuation of mine-clearing programs and for coordination, supervision, and management thereof.

3. To recognize the participation and support of an increasing number of member states, permanent observers, and other states, and of the OAS General Secretariat, as well as the technical assistance provided by the Inter-American Defense Board, in connection with mine-clearing programs in Central America.

4. To urge the member states, the permanent observers, and the international community in general to assist the Central American countries affected by the presence of mines, especially by supporting preventive education programs for the civilian population and the physical and psychological rehabilitation of victims of mines.

5. To request the Inter-American Council for Integral Development to pay particular attention, under its cooperation program, to the integral development of rural areas in Central America where the Central American mine-clearing program has been concluded.