More than 120 nations are signing an historic treaty in the Canadian capital, Ottawa ban anti-personnel landmines.

The treaty requires signatories to destroy their stockpiles of mines within four years and clear deployed mines within 10 years.

Canada, Norway and South Africa were the first to sign the treaty. The United States, China and Russia are refusing to sign.

Nevertheless conference leaders are calling the agreement a landmark.

The Canadian Prime Minister, Jean Chretien, told the Ottawa conference on Wednesday: "We have come together today to bring an end to the landmines epitome, the stain of death that remains long after the guns go quiet."

He added: "The most powerful voices here in Ottawa will not be the ones inside this conference site. They will be the cries of victims of landmines."

No-one can be sure how many mines are around the world. Some experts say there are 60 million, others estimate that there are more than 100 million.

The process of bringing about a world ban on anti-personnel mines began 14 months ago.

Delegates in Ottawa come from around the world to tackle a global problem

Mr Chretien spoke of "a chorus of millions of voices pleading with the world demanding the elimination of anti-personnel landmines."

He praised the speed of campaigners in achieving what he called an "historic moment".

The efforts of Diana, Princess of Wales, to raise awareness about landmines helped put the issue into the global consciousness.

Mr Chretien said the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations, led by Secretary General Kofi Annan, had also been invaluable in forging the deal.

Kofi Annan: the anti-mine campaign shames the world

Mr Annan, speaking after Mr Chretien, said: "The global alliance that created this convention is an alliance made up of governments and individuals. It is an alliance that has shunned and shamed the world and enlightened it."

Mr Annan added that it is "unfortunate that three members of the UN Security Council hadn't signed the treaty."

The success of the Canadians, Norwegians and other governments in forging the treaty showed countries need not be superpowers to change the world, he said.

The campaign to rid the world of landmines now faces two challenges. It must attempt to convince the countries who did not sign in Ottawa to join the existing treaty.

A younger audience member looking to a safer future

The treaty is open so these nations can still join if they change their positions.

The United States has stuck to its refusal to ban landmines because it says they are necessary for the protection of the Korean peninsula, where it has 37,000 troops.

For those countries who did sign, the next stage is to agree a strategy for de-activating or removing existing mines, which could kill for decades to come. Many countries have also pledged more money for this.

But campaigners who work with people affected by landmines warned people not to get caught up in the euphoria of the day.

They reminded people of the thousands of existing victims who need care and the huge numbers of mines that already exist.

Bosnia alone, one delegate said, has about one million mines needing to be removed.

 
Landmine campaigner, Mary Wareham, won't let up on the US. Dur. 2' 48"
UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, applauds the landmine treaty. Dur. 0' 23"

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