Ottawa Convention

07.04.2025

Ottawa Convention

Why in the news?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     NATO members Poland, Finland and all three Baltic states have queued up over the past few weeks to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention.

About Ottawa Convention:

• The Ottawa Convention, also referred to as the "Mine Ban Treaty," prohibits the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of anti-personnel landmines (APLs).
• It requires states-parties to destroy their stockpiled APLs within four years and eliminate all APL holdings, including mines currently planted in the soil, within 10 years.
• Countries may request a renewable extension, which can be up to 10 years long, to fulfill their destruction obligations.
• States-parties are also required annually to report their total APL stockpiles, the technical characteristics of their APLs, the location of all mined areas, and the status of APL destruction programs.
• The convention, which is of unlimited duration and open to all nations, entered into force on March 1, 1999.
• 164 countries had ratified or acceded to the treaty.
• Some key current and past producers and users of landmines, including the United States, China, India, Pakistan, and Russia, have not signed the treaty.

                                                              Source: Indian Express

Consider the following statements regarding the Ottawa Convention, recently seen in the news:

Statement-I: It prohibits the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of anti-personnel landmines (APLs).

Statement-II: India is a signatory to the Ottawa Convention.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

A.Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I.

B.Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I.

C.Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect.

D.Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct.

Answer C