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Informiing 1h Iegisiative debatesince1914
U.S. Antipersonnel Landmine Use Policy
Current United States Policy on Anti- In February 20
Personnel Landmines (APLs) announced the
On June 21, 2022, National Security Council (NSC) only in the DM
Spokesperson Adrienne Watson announced the United would not use
States would align its policy concerning use of Administration
antipersonnel landmines (APLs) outside of the Korean develop altern
Peninsula with key provisions of The Convention on the
Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Following a re
Transfer ofAnti-personnel Mines and on Their Administration
Destruction commonly known as the Ottawa Convention. An NSC spoke
The convention requires States Parties to stop the States would n
production, use, and transfer of APLs, as well as to destroy acquire any A
all stockpiled APLs, except for the minimum number The Departme
absolutely necessary for training purposes. According to a United States
June 21, 2022, White House fact sheet, the Biden compliant wit
Administration arrived at this decision after conducting a ultimately all
comprehensive policy review. ensuring that w
commitments
Background
Following the 1991 end of the Cold War, a number of In 2014 the Ob
governments began to question the utility of APLs in light policy, which
of increasing civilian and U.N. peacekeeper casualties 2016 as Presid
resulting from abandoned, unmarked, or unregistered forbade the use
minefields. well as assistin
the Korean Pe
In 1996, President Clinton announced a policy that Ottawa Conve
immediately discontinued U.S. use of persistent APLs States would
except in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating North required for th
and South Korea. Persistent APLs lack self-destructing and
self-deactivating features. President Clinton also supported In January 202
negotiation in the U.N. of a worldwide ban on APLs. In announced a n
November 1996, the United States introduced a resolution 2020 DOD me
to the U.N. General Assembly urging governments to an internal DO
pursue vigorously an effective, legally-binding international DOD memora
agreement to ban the use, stockpiling, production and authorize the u
transfer of APLs. While many governments supported geographic loc
such a ban, others were concerned that verifying such a ban major continge
would be difficult and that APLs still played a useful role in The new polic
military operations. transfer a limit
training purpo
At the conclusion of an October 1996 conference in Ottawa,
a number of governments agreed to work toward the During a Janu
earliest possible conclusion of a legally-binding noted the pote
international agreement to ban anti-personnel mines. new self-destr
Using language identical to the U.S.-sponsored version new policy. Th
described above, the General Assembly adopted a Military Dep
resolution in December 1996 exhorting governments to and landmine
adopt an international ban on APLs. Following several of unintended]
multilateral meetings, a September 1997 conference in Oslo
adopted the Ottawa Convention text, and the treaty entered Additiona
into force in 1999. The Clinton Administration declined to APL Polc
sign the Ottawa Convention, arguing then that the A June 21, 202
agreement would preclude U.S. use of APLs in the DMZ. States would n
Updated September 29, 2022
04, the George W. Bush Administration
United States would use persistent APLs
[Z until 2010, after which the United States
such mines anywhere. The Bush
also indicated that the United States would
atives to persistent landmines.
view of U.S. APL policy, the Obama
announced several changes to that policy.
sperson stated in June 2014 that the United
ot in the future produce or otherwise
APLs, including replacing expiring stockpiles.
nt of State noted in December 2014 that the
was pursuing solutions that would be
h the Ottawa Convention and that would
ow us to accede to the convention while
ie are still able to meet our alliance
to South Korea.
ama Administration announced the APL
the Administration later issued in January
ential Policy Directive-37 (PPD-37). PPD-37
of APLs outside the Korean Peninsula, as
g, encouraging, or inducing anyone outside
ninsula to engage in activity prohibited by the
ntion. Pursuant to this policy, the United
undertake to destroy APL stockpiles not
defense of South Korea.
0 the Department of Defense (DOD)
ew APL policy. According to a January 31,
morandum, President Trump, subsequent to
D review, decided to cancel PPD-37. The
ndum permitted Combatant Commanders to
se of nonpersistent APLs regardless of
ation when necessary for mission success in
ncies or other exceptional circumstances.
y authorized DOD to acquire, retain, and
ed number of persistent landmines for
ses.
ary 31, 2020, press briefing, a DOD official
ntial need for the United States to develop
icting APLs for use in accordance with the
he above-cited memorandum stipulated that
artments should explore acquiring landmines
alternatives that could further reduce the risk
harm to noncombatants.
SInformation on June 2022
y Decision
2 White House Fact Sheet stated the United
ot develop, produce, or acquire APLs; export](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.crs/goveiyn0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)
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