Italy Planning To Push For Total Abolition of Land Mines

Speaking at the presentation of a report by the Italian Campaign for the Banning of Landmines, Serri said that many countries still had not signed or ratified the 1997 Ottawa convention banning the weapons. "Many countries aren't giving any clear signs that they want to change their approach," he said, adding his view that pressure by European Union countries could produce significant results. Italy would make landmines a key issue in disarmament talks between G7 countries, he said. In the meantime, Rome would use its influence in the Mediterranean basin to push for concrete steps there. Serri said that Italy had been "coherent" in its stance on landmines, moving from being a tailender in the campaign against them in 1993 to being a leading protagonist today. Since February 1999 Italy had destroyed over two million of the six million mines it had in stock piles, he noted. The destruction of the country's entire stock is expected to be completed by 2002, at a cost of 16 billion lire. Parliament is currently debating a law setting aside funds for the destruction of landmines not only in Italy but also abroad. If the law is passed, next year Italy will spend 70 billion lire on dismantlement, 20 billion of which in Bosnia. Despite the progress, Nicoletta Dentico, national coordinator for the Italian anti-landmine campaign, said there was still much work to be done. "Italy mustn't rest on its laurels," she said. "It must intervene with countries that continue to produce and use mines." Dentico also asked the Italian government to impose a national moratorium on 'cluster bombs,' which were heavily used in the Kosovo conflict.