Press Release
Date of Release: 13 November 2006
President Karzai Welcomes the Implementation of the International Convention Against Landmines and Unexploded Ordnances
Arg, Kabul – H.E. Hamid Karzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, welcomed the implementation of the international convention against landmines and unexploded ordnances.
A new international law comes into force on 12 November 2006 requiring all countries to destroy landmines and unexploded ordnances. The new law covers the destruction or removal of all explosive remnants of war, including planted mines and cluster bombs scattered in uncleared minefields.
The President called the implementation of the law as crucial to ensuring the security and safety of the people and said “The people of Afghanistan have suffered tremendously in the past three decades and landmines have taken the lives of thousands of Afghans.”
“The mine clearance teams have been working hard in the past 15 years to ensure the safe return of refugees, farmers and internally displaced persons to their houses.”
“Though the continuation of security problems in some parts of Afghanistan hampers the progress of mine clearance work in the country, but the Government of Afghanistan fully backs the international convention against landmines and unexploded ordnances.”
The President made an appeal to the international community to increase their assistance to the mine clearance effort in Afghanistan and said “I hope Afghanistan will become a mine-free country in the near future.”
For further information, please contact:
Office of the Spokesman to the President
Tel.: 00 93 799 33 77 55
00 93 799 90 94 29
Released by the Office of the Spokesman to the President
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
