By Andrea
November 30, 2009
Representatives from more than 100 nations met in Cartagena to review a United Nations treaty banning the use of anti-personnel mines. The 1997 Ottawa Treaty was signed by 156 nations with the exception of U.S., China and Russia. According to the Obama Administration, the United States has not changed their policy. Ian Kelly, a State Department spokesman, said on Saturday: "We determined that we wouldn't be able to meet our national defence needs, nor our security commitments to our friends and allies if we signed the convention."
It was no coincidence that Colombia was hosting the second review conference of the treaty. Since 1990 more than 8.000 Colombians have been seriously injured due to the use of landmines. These data put Colombia on the second place, only behind Afganistan.
Source: http://www.smh.com.au/world/us-policy-stays-despite-mineban-review-20091129-jyuh.html
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