American Leadership On Landmine Ban

EDM number 726 in 1995-96, proposed by Frank Cook on 16/04/1996.

That this House notes with satisfaction reports of 3rd April 1996 from Associated Press, that fifteen former high-ranking US military officers, (fourteen generals and one admiral), led by retired US General H. Norman Schwarzkopf (Storm'n Norm'n of Gulf War fame), have committed themselves to support the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation in its efforts to 'achieve a total and permanent international ban on the production, stockpiling, sale and use of antipersonnel land mines'; notes too their expression that they 'view such a ban as not only humane, but also militarily responsible'; notes also that General Shalikashvili, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee has recently registered views akin to these statements and has ordered strategists in the Pentagon to review the Department of Defense policy against such a ban; and urges counterparts in the United kingdom command structure to reflect on this transatlantic development and reconsider the British stance with a view to joining with the UK's American NATO partners in establishing a firm disciplined g lobal protocol to halt further proliferation of these hideous devices and make total world clearance before the end of the next century a serious and achieveable prospect.

This motion has been signed by a total of 59 MPs.