NEWS RELEASES

March 1, 2001 (1:00 p.m. EST) No. 28

MANLEY ANNOUNCES NEW LANDMINE INITIATIVES ON THE

SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE OTTAWA CONVENTION

John Manley, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today marked the second anniversary of the entry into force of the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel mines by launching a VirtualClassroom on landmines for Canadian students and announcing approximately $475 000 in additional funding for mine action activities overseas.

"As we work toward the effective implementation of the Ottawa Convention, countries must promote youth awareness of the global threat presented by anti-personnel mines," said Mr. Manley. "On this historic day, it is a pleasure to announce further funding of approximately $475 000 toward ridding the planet of these weapons."

The Minister, high school students from Ontario, Newfoundland and Quebec, and speakers from the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (including Song Kosal, a teenage Cambodian landmine survivor) today participated in a live video conference to discuss Canada's efforts on global mine action. The event officially launched the VirtualClassroom landmine project, a co-operative initiative of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) and Industry Canada. In the project, students from across the country participate in a number of interactive video conference sessions designed to promote learning about the global landmine program.

The VirtualClassroom is a Communications Research Centre Canada (CRC) program that uses interactive broadband technology over CANARIE's CA*net 3 network to link students across the country. CANARIE's CA*net 3 is a national optical research and education network connecting individual universities, federal and provincial government labs and research institutes across Canada.

Mr. Manley also announced further mine action funding in Thailand, Southeastern Europe and Uganda. DFAIT will disburse approximately $150 000 to support a comprehensive national landmine survey in Thailand, and $25 000 for an assessment mission in support of mine clearance in Uganda. In addition, the Department will provide $100 000 to the Stability Pact for Southeastern Europe's Reay Group to support mine action in the Balkans. Finally, DFAIT and the Canadian International Development Agency will provide $200 000 to the Hungarian-based Danube Commission for clearing unexploded ordnance in the Danube River.

Since 1998, Canada has disbursed approximately $50 million from the five-year Canadian Landmine Fund to support mine clearance, victim assistance, mine awareness and other mine action initiatives in more than 25 countries throughout the world.

The Canadian Landmine Fund is designed to support the implementation of the Ottawa Convention, which entered into force on March 1, 1999. To date, 111 states have ratified the Convention. In September, Canada will participate in the Third Meeting of the States Parties to the Ottawa Convention, in Managua, Nicaragua.

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A backgrounder is attached.

For further information, media representatives may contact:

Sanjeev Chowdhury

Press Secretary

Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs

(613) 995-1851

Media Relations Office

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

(613) 995-1874

Backgrounder

MINE ACTION FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Southeastern Europe

The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade will contribute $100 000 to support initiatives under the Stability Pact for Southeastern Europe's Reay Group, in order to promote co-operation in mine action in the former Yugoslavia and neighbouring states. This money will be pledged at the next Stability Pact Funding Conference for Mine Action Projects. The Reay Group takes its name from retired Canadian General Gordan Reay, who died from injuries sustained in an automobile accident in December 2000, while in Croatia to provide assistance to the region's mine action officials.

With the Canadian International Development Agency, the Department will provide $200 000 to help clear the Danube River of unexploded ordnance polluting this important transportation artery of environmental significance. The project will be managed by the Danube Commission, based in Hungary.

Thailand

The Department will provide approximately $150 000 to the Survey Action Centre in support of a Level One comprehensive national survey of the socio-economic impact of Thailand's landmine problem. A Level One survey is the standard used to assist donors and national demining authorities in determining priorities so that scarce demining assets may be effectively deployed. Thailand's Level One survey will be conducted by Norwegian People's Aid, a non-governmental organization (NGO).

Uganda

The Department will provide $25 000 to the Mines Advisory Group, an NGO, to undertake an assessment mission in support of mine clearance in Uganda. An assessment mission is used to define the nature and scope of a particular landmine problem, and to identify constraints and opportunities related to the development of mine action programming.