Mr. Chairman,

The Chinese delegation abstained on the draft resolution A/C.1/59/L.40/Rev.1, entitled "Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on their Destruction".

China understands and attaches importance to the humanitarian concerns of the international community caused by anti-personnel landmines (APL). At the same time, we are of the view that the landmine issue involves both humanitarian concerns and legitimate self-defense needs of sovereign states. These two aspects shall be addressed in a balanced way. Due to self-defense necessity, China is not in a position to accede to the Ottawa Convention at present.

However, China endorses the purpose and objective of the Convention and has been making unremitting efforts to solving the humanitarian concerns caused by APLs in its own manner.

China has ratified and implemented the Amended Landmine Protocol to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW). In recent years, China has been an active participant in international de-mining cooperation and assistance. Last April, China and Australian Network of ICBL co-sponsored a Humanitarian Mine/UXO Clearance Technology and Cooperation Workshop in China. This workshop has promoted exchanges and cooperation between donor countries and mine-affected countries. In the future, we will continue to contribute to, within our capacity, the international de-mining efforts. We are also ready to intensify exchanges and cooperation with all interested countries and international organizations in this regard.

The Chinese Government will participate in, as an observer, the First Review Conference of the Ottawa Convention to be held in Nairobi, Kenya. We wish the conference a great success.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.