Cambodia's Prime Minister, Hun Sen, has said his country is committed to introducing a law banning the use of and possession of landmines, and that a draft law will be submitted to the national assembly as soon as possible when the body begins its work.

Caroline Gluck says the conference will help raise awareness further

He was speaking at an international conference on landmines, being hosted by Cambodia, which more than 30 countries are attending.

Cambodia remains one of the most heavily mined nations in the world, with around five million mines still littering the country.

Although Cambodia was a signatory to the Ottawa convention which outlaws the use, production and stockpiling of anti-personnel mines, the agreement still has to be ratified by the national assembly.

Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party won July's general election, but no new coalition government has yet been formed, as the opposition parties continue to insist that their complaints of electoral fraud be fully addressed.

Progress with landmine clearance

Cambodia has made considerable progress in its efforts to try to clear the millions of landmines which scattered the country as a result of its long-running civil war.

Mine marking and clearance, as well as a huge education programme, have helped to reduce the human misery caused by land mines, with monthly casualties dropping from around 400 a month to around half that figure.

Sophisticated technology and new methods, including mine detection dogs and armoured mine clearance vehicles, have also helped to speed up the process of clearing mine-littered land, which can then be put to productive agricultural use.

The conference will give Cambodia the opportunity to share its experiences and successes with representatives from other mine-infested countries, from Afghanistan and Bosnia to Mozambique.

Delegates will spend one day in the field looking at the work of the Cambodian Mine Action Centre, a national institution, as well as efforts to provide rehabilitation and support for mine victims.

However, while clearance work continues in Cambodia, more mines have been laid in the north-west of the country as a result of factional fighting.