NEWS RELEASES

July 6, 2001 (10:10 a.m. EDT) No. 97

MANLEY WELCOMES DESTRUCTION OF ANTI-PERSONNEL MINES IN ALBANIA

John Manley, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today welcomed the beginning of a year-long project, initiated and supported by Canada, which will see the demilitarization and destruction of anti-personnel mines stockpiled in Albania.

Some 1.6 million mines, owned by the Albanian military, will be demilitarized and destroyed through a project managed by the NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency on behalf of the following eight donor countries: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The project is being undertaken under the umbrella of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council's Partnership for Peace Trust Fund for Anti-personnel Landmine Stockpile Destruction. Canada is the lead nation and initiator of the Fund.

"This project is an example of Canada's active co-operation with other countries to ensure the implementation of the Ottawa Convention banning landmines," said Minister Manley. "It's an indicator of our concrete progress toward ridding the world of these weapons, and should serve as a valuable contribution to stability in the region."

The destruction of Albania's stockpiled anti-personnel mines will allow the country to meet its obligations under the four-year stockpile destruction time-line imposed by the Ottawa Convention. Albania is a state party to the Convention, having signed on September 8, 1998 and ratified on February 29, 2000.

The demilitarization and destruction of the mines will take place at Ulp Mjekës, a former weapons production facility near Elbasan in central Albania. The first mines were demilitarized on June 29 with the entire demilitarization and destruction scheduled to be completed by next year. The mines will be taken apart and their component parts destroyed or recycled for civilian use. The total project cost is US$800 000. Canada's contribution is US$200 000. In addition, the Department of National Defence has provided a technical expert for the project.

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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