We, the Partners and Observers in the Human Security Network, Austria, Canada, Chile, Greece, Ireland, Jordan, Mali, The Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, South Africa, Switzerland and Thailand, remain strongly committed to further strengthening the humanitarian norm that has been established by the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction. This Convention was born out of the determination to put an end to the suffering and casualties by anti-personnel mines, that kill or maim innocent and defenseless people, obstruct economic development and reconstruction, inhibit the repatriation of refugees and internally displaced persons and have other severe consequences many years after emplacement. The Convention has set an international humanitarian norm that is working beyond its membership.

We stress our conviction that no conceivable military utility of anti-personnel mines could possibly outweigh and justify the devastating humanitarian costs of these weapons.

We emphasize therefore the desirability of attracting the adherence of all those states that are not yet formally bound by the Convention and are determined to work strenuously towards the promotion of universalization of the Convention.

In this context, we welcome the recent ratification of the Convention by Chile, a partner in the Human Security Network, and the ratifications of or accessions to the Convention by Algeria, Angola, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Nigeria, and Suriname.

In addition, we are also encouraged by the steps taken by other states to be formally bound by the Convention, including Greece, a partner in the Human Security Network, and Turkey, as well as Afghanistan.

Adopted by HSN-Ministers for Foreign Affairs on 12th of September 2002 in New York