Mongolia
Mine Ban Policy
Policy
Mongolia has not acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty and did not fulfill its objective, announced in 2004, of joining the treaty in 2008 through a step-by-step approach.[1]
In June 2011, Mongolia informed States Parties that it “continues to pursue a step-by-step (or phased) policy towards accession to the Convention due to a range of security and economic concerns.”[2] However, it did not mention the interagency action plan to accede to the Mine Ban Treaty that it had announced at the Tenth Meeting of States Parties in 2010 and at the Second Review Conference in 2009.[3] In December 2010, Mongolia informed States Parties that it would join the treaty “in the near future.”[4] Earlier, in October 2010, during a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) debate, Mongolia stated that “Just a few days ago the Prime Minister re-affirmed Mongolia’s commitment to accede to the Convention.”[5] In December 2021, Ministry of Defence of Mongolia responded to the Monitor that it would proceed step-by-step to join the convention. Yet it did not provide a timeline, and the steps that it noted as having already taken occurred in 2006–2007.[6]
Mongolia has repeatedly stated that it has limited resources to implement the treaty, especially with respect to stockpile destruction, and has encouraged “cooperation, assistance and support” from other countries and international organizations.[7] In the past, representatives have expressed concern about whether Mongolia would receive international assistance for stockpile destruction and for clearance of areas contaminated with unexploded ordnance (UXO), especially Soviet-era firing ranges.[8]
Mongolia has infrequently attended Mine Ban Treaty meetings, and has not participated as an observer since the Eleventh Meeting of States Parties in November–December 2011. Mongolia was invited to, but did not attend, the convention’s Fourth Review Conference held in Oslo in November 2019.
On 6 December 2021, Mongolia voted in favor of annual UNGA Resolution 76/26 that called for universalization and full implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty, as in previous years.[9]
Mongolia is party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW), but is not party to CCW Amended Protocol II on landmines or Protocol V on explosive remnants of war (ERW). Mongolia is also not party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
Use, stockpiling, production, and transfer
In December 2021, the Ministry of Defence of Mongolia told the Monitor that “Mongolia does not produce, sell or transfer mines. It […] does not utilize mines to defend its borders during peace and war. Mongolia is one of those countries that does not have minefields or lands contaminated by landmines.” Mongolia stressed that it does not violate the prohibitions of the convention, with the exception of storage.[10]
Mongolia submitted a voluntary Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 transparency report in August 2007.[11] The report revealed a stockpile of 206,417 antipersonnel mines, imported from the Soviet Union.[12] At the government’s invitation, in July 2009, technical experts from the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) investigated the condition of Mongolia’s landmine stocks. At the Second Review Conference in 2009, Mongolia reported that it had destroyed 100 antipersonnel mines during the previous year and that it would destroy another 100 in the following year, in order to identify an environmentally safe and cost-effective method of destruction.[13]
In December 2010, Mongolia stated that it possessed a stockpile of 206,317 antipersonnel mines (100 fewer than reported in August 2007) and that it would destroy another 380 mines in 2011, in order to demonstrate “our step-by-step approach to join the Convention.”[14] However, in June 2011, Mongolia reported that it had 206,307 antipersonnel mines following the destruction of 110 antipersonnel mines to “define an appropriate mine destruction technique friendly to the environment.”[15] A representative of the Ministry of Defense could not provide any information on the method of destruction used, but confirmed that Mongolia would not necessarily need to retain any live landmines for training purposes, since it uses inert mines in its training programs.[16]
In the past, Mongolia has often stated that it has never used antipersonnel mines on its territory.[17] In December 2010, Mongolia reaffirmed that it will not “transfer, acquire or place landmines.”[18]
[1] See, Landmine Monitor Report 2005: Toward a Mine-Free World (Ottawa: Mines Action Canada, October 2005), p. 819; and Landmine Monitor Report 2006: Toward a Mine-Free World (Ottawa: Mines Action Canada, July 2006), pp. 1,011–1,012, for details of Mongolia’s 2004–2008 Program of Action aimed at accession.
[2] Statement of Mongolia, Mine Ban Treaty Standing Committee on the General Status and Operation of the Convention, Geneva, 20 June 2011.
[3] At the Second Review Conference, Mongolia stated that it had “drafted an interagency action plan,” but at the Tenth Meeting of States Parties, Mongolia stated that it was “drafting a collaborative interagency action plan to implement its step-by-step accession” to the convention. See, statement of Mongolia, Mine Ban Treaty Tenth Meeting of States Parties, Geneva, 2 December 2010; and statement by Col. Lkhagva Gantumur, General Staff, Mongolian Armed Forces, Mine Ban Treaty Second Review Conference, Cartagena, 1 December 2009.
[4] Statement of Mongolia, Mine Ban Treaty Tenth Meeting of States Parties, Geneva, 2 December 2010.
[5] Statement of Mongolia, 65th Session, UNGA First Committee, General Debate, New York, 8 October 2010.
[6] Letter to the Monitor from Mongolia’s Ministry of Defence, titled “Policy and Position on Joining Ottawa Convention on Anti-Personnel Mines and its Relevant Information,” forwarded by email from Oyu Vasha, Minister Counselor, Embassy of Mongolia to Canada, 14 December 2021.
[7] At the Tenth Meeting of States Parties, Mongolia stated that “cooperation, assistance and support through bilateral channels and international organizations are appreciated for accelerating the process of our accession.” Statement of Mongolia, Mine Ban Treaty Tenth Meeting of States Parties, Geneva, 2 December 2010.
[8] See, Landmine Monitor Report 2009: Toward a Mine Free World (Ottawa: Mines Action Canada, October 2009), p. 1,018.
[9] “Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction,” UNGA Resolution 76/26, 6 December 2021.
[10] Letter to the Monitor from Mongolia’s Ministry of Defence, titled “Policy and Position on Joining Ottawa Convention on Anti-Personnel Mines and its Relevant Information,” forwarded by email from Oyu Vasha, Minister Counselor, Embassy of Mongolia to Canada, 14 December 2021.
[11] The Article 7 report is undated, with the reporting period listed as “2007 to 2008.” Mongolia has stated that it submitted the report in August 2007, and it is listed by the United Nations (UN) as received in 2007. Statement by Col. Gantumur, Mongolian Armed Forces, Mine Ban Treaty Standing Committee on the General Status and Operation of the Convention, Geneva, 25 May 2009. All forms are marked “not applicable” except Form B on types and quantities of stockpiled antipersonnel mines and Form H on technical characteristics of stockpiled mines. In June 2011, Mongolia stated that it has updated the Article 7 report annually, but only one version has been sent to the UN. Statement of Mongolia, Mine Ban Treaty Standing Committee on the General Status and Operation of the Convention, Geneva, 20 June 2011.
[12] Mongolia Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for the period 2007–2008), voluntary, Form B. See, Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Database. The report lists 40,331 POMZ-2; 83,028 PMN-2; 996 PMN; 48,891 PMD-6; 29,997 OZM-72; 2,000 MON-50; 601 MON-100; and 573 MON-200 antipersonnel mines.
[13] Statement by Col. Gantumur, Mongolian Armed Forces, Mine Ban Treaty Second Review Conference, Cartagena, 1 December 2009.
[14] Statement of Mongolia, Mine Ban Treaty Tenth Meeting of States Parties, Geneva, 2 December 2010.
[15] Statement of Mongolia, Mine Ban Treaty Standing Committee on the General Status and Operation of the Convention, Geneva, 20 June 2011.
[16] ICBL meeting with Col. Narankhuu Turbat, Deputy Chief of Strategic Management and Planning Directorate, Ministry of Defense, in Geneva, 21 June 2011.
[17] See for example, Landmine Monitor Report 2009: Toward a Mine Free World (Ottawa: Mines Action Canada, October 2009), p. 1,020.
[18] Statement of Mongolia, Mine Ban Treaty Tenth Meeting of States Parties, Geneva, 2 December 2010. See also, statement by Col. Gantumur, Mongolian Armed Forces, Mine Ban Treaty Second Review Conference, Cartagena, 1 December 2009.