ANTI-PERSONNEL LAND MINE STOCKPILE DESTROYED

UNCLAS DHAKA 001247

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PARM BG
SUBJECT: ANTI-PERSONNEL LAND MINE STOCKPILE DESTROYED


1. On March 8, the MFA sent us a diplomatic note stating that
as of February 28, 2005 it has destroyed all if its
anti-personnel mines, while retaining some for training
purposes as provided by the Convention on the Prohibition of
the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of
Anti-Personnel Mines and their Destruction. Under the
provisions of the Convention, anti-personnel mines were to be
destroyed by March 1, 2005.


2. Last Fall 2004, Bangladesh started destroying its 200,000
anti-personnel mines under a UN Anti-Personnel Mine Treaty
signed in Ottawa 1997, according to media accounts.
Bangladesh acquired the landmines from China, Iran, India,
Pakistan, the US, the former Yugoslavia with many mines left
over from the 1971 war of independence with Pakistan.
Bangladesh will keep 15,000 landmines for training purposes
including UN peace keeping assignments.


3. Landmines reportedly remain along a 200-kilometer stretch
of the Burmese border in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in the
Ukhia and Ramu sub-districts of the Cox's Bazaar District and
the Naikongchari, Alikadam and Thansi sub-districts of the
Bandarban district located in the south-east part of
Bangladesh.
THOMAS