Mine Ban Treaty

The European Green Parties, convening in their Council-meeting of 3-5 May 2006 in Helsinki

Urgent resolution to call on the Finnish government to join and sign the Mine Ban Treaty during the Finish EU-Presidency 

Having Regard to the '1997 Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and Their Destruction', also know as the 'Mine Ban Treaty';

Having Regard to the '2004 Nairobi Action Plan for a Mine-Free World' for the implementation of that Convention;

Having Regard to the fact that in November in Geneva the seventh Meeting of States Parties to the Convention will take place to evaluate the progress made with the Nairobi Action Plan 

Considering that Finland, in its capacity of the Presidency of the European Union, at that Meeting will act on behalf of the Union and be charged to prepare as best as possible the position of the Union on this issue and confirm in particular the leaderships role of Europe to ban landmines from this planet, reminding that to this position almost all countries of the continent of Europe will be associated;

Strongly concerned that Finland is one of the few countries in this world and the only country in the European Union which has not yet acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty;

Calls on the Government of Finland to publicly declare that it will sign the Mine Ban Treaty during the Presidency of the EU beginning in July 2006 and provide a timetable for full ratification during the same.