Taiwan: Mine Ban Commitment Strengthened
Below are extracts from an article published by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines:
During an August 2007 visit by ICBL ambassador, Mr. Tun Channareth and ICBL Advisory Board member, Sister Denise Coghlan, Taiwan’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Yang Tzu-pao, and separately, the opposition KMT Presidential Candidate party, Mr. Ma Ying-jeou, signed a declaration prepared by representatives of the Taiwan CBL which promises to support a total ban on the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of antipersonnel landmines; to actively seek international support to facilitate clearance of all domestic landmines within the deadline set by the 2006 Antipersonnel Landmines Regulation Act; and to support global landmine victim assistance programs.
Mr. Tun and Sr. Coghlan were in
When receiving ICBL delegates, the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Yang said, “Humanitarian matters supersede all political affairs, therefore a bureaucracy like the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would like to support the mine ban campaign and underline
The 2008 opposition KMT presidential candidate, Mr. Ma Ying-jeou met separately with the ICBL delegates, and stated, “If I am elected President, I will urge the military to clear minefields and never to plant new mines. I believe landmines are obsolete weapons and should not be used any longer.” “We believe both sides across the strait do not wish to go to war but to have peace and prosperity,” he continued. He expressed his support to the Mine Ban Treaty, said he would seek to endorse the treaty once elected president, and signed the Declaration prepared by the Taiwan CBL.
Sr. Denise Coghlan said at the Foreign Ministry: “
Impressed by
In a press conference held on 28 August [2007], Mr. Tun Channareth shared his own story as a mine survivor and his work as an ambassador of ICBL. “I joined the mine ban campaign because I do not want my six kids to be hurt by landmines,” he said. He urged the Taiwanese government to fully comply with the Mine Ban Treaty provisions and to provide more funding to mine clearance and global victim assistance programs.
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