World pushes for ban on landmines; US drops out

In all, 145 countries have joined the Mine Ban Treaty and another eight have signed but not yet ratified the pact. Participants include every member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO), Japan, Australia, and other key U.S. military allies.

''With very few exceptions, nearly every nation has endorsed the goal of a global ban on all antipersonnel mines at some point in the future. Even many states not party to the Mine Ban Treaty have stopped production, trade, and use of the weapon,'' HRW said.

WASHINGTON, D.C., Aug 3 (OneWorld) - The United States looks set to resume making landmines after nearly a decade-long halt in the manufacture of the explosive munitions, a leading rights watchdog said Wednesday.

The United States has not made antipersonnel mines since 1997 but is expected to decide in December whether to embark on production of a new mine called Spider, said Human Rights Watch (HRW).

Additionally, the Pentagon has asked for $1.3 billion to develop and produce a new antipersonnel mine, called the Intelligent Munitions System, the rights group said. A decision on whether to proceed with full production is expected by 2008. [..]

The group, in a report, said these developments were the result of a landmine policy announced by the administration of President George W. Bush in February 2004. Under this policy, Washington has abandoned its long-held objective of joining the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty, which prohibits the use, production, trade, or stockpiling of antipersonnel mines. [..]

''Any future production, trade, or use of antipersonnel mines would put the United States squarely at odds with the emerging international consensus against the weapon, and would draw strong criticism from its closest allies,'' Goose added.

The United States has not exported antipersonnel mines since 1992 and has not used them since the 1991 Gulf War, HRW said. [..]

U.S. officials have said that American-made mines were not a significant part of the global landmine problem and HRW expected this argument would form part of any decision to renew production.

However, the organization said in its report, the United States exported more than 5.6 million antipersonnel mines to 38 countries between 1969 and 1992.