Mr. Akashi, ladies and gentlemen:

In bringing this conference to a close, I would like to refer briefly to the reason that brought us together this week - landmines.

Landmines have a profound effect on the lives of millions of people around the world. They prevent women from the simple everyday tasks of gathering firewood and collecting water, children from playing and going to school. After a war, the social and economic effects of landmines are felt for decades.

It is my hope that more countries - ultimately all countries - will support a total ban on anti-personnel landmines. The CCW Review Conference in Vienna and Geneva has led to progress already. Denmark has also declared a total ban. Let me express the hope that more governments will soon follow.

But even if a total ban is obtained, we face a continuing humanitarian disaster caused by around 110 million unexploded anti-personnel mines in almost 70 countries, every year maiming or killing at least 25,000 people and preventing civilian resettlement on former battle grounds.

That is why the international community must also speed up the development of small scale, low cost, technically feasible, safe, sure and easy to operate mine detector systems for all types of mines. Or in other words: A tool box with the necessary tools to do the job. If that is accomplished, large amounts of aid funds will be available to speed up the clearance operations. If this conference has brought us closer to this scenario we might seriously start to hope for turning the negative trend of the mine menace.

A ban is a must, but so is new and appropriate technology to remove the already existing menace to humanity.

Humanitarian mine clearance is new to the international community - there have been no internationally accepted standards or rules and, as we have heard here today, very little in the way of technology, outside of that developed for military application.

The Government of Denmark is extremely pleased with the progress made here at Scanticon over the past three days in order to improve this situation. The technical experts, NGOs and private sector representatives have worked together to approve a comprehensive set of recommendations for standards and procedures related to mine clearance. These recommendations will serve as the framework for the elaboration of minimum standards with which governments and the private sector - indeed all those working in the area of mine clearance - can advance the safety, effectiveness and professionalism of demining operations throughout the world.

All too often, we hear that things cannot proceed quickly in the international arena because of the various complexities involved. With the papers presented today, you have shown that the international community can move quickly, creatively and realistically to put forward concrete recommendations. You have also shown that interaction between field people, government and industry is particularly important.

The standardisation of terminology for safety standards and the development of a standardised layout of a mine clearance operation are already operational in many areas of the world but by formalizing these into an international standard you will enable those new to the area of demining to approach it in a safer manner.

Survey standards for mine clearance and standards for the marking of mined areas as presented today also provide us with a sound basis for establishing internationally-accepted standards in these areas of activity.

As agreed by the conference, in order to finalise the text for international standards for humanitarian mine clearance operations, a small, representative working group will meet at the technical level to examine the ISO 9000 and its applicability to mine clearance. The working group will be required to conclude their recommendations by the end of the year in order to maintain the momentum we have gained at this conference.

The conference has concluded that much remains to be done in the area of technology development and application. Protective equipment, sensor systems, mechanical mine-clearance equipment - all of these things exist, but almost exclusively for military application. The high costs associated with such equipment has put it out of range for most mine-affected countries. However, mine clearance equipment, such as that we saw at the exhibition site yesterday, should be an essential tool of the demining tool kit as part of an integrated approach to mine clearance operations.

This conference has heard ample evidence of the fact that there is a key role for governments. Similarly, it has been stressed that a strong involvement of the private sector is crucial. Since research and product development is carried out by governments, private institutions and companies we must put pressure on them to put resources into the hands of the mine clearance community. It is morally unacceptable that innocent civilians are being maimed and killed every day when the technology exists to allow them to live free from the terror of mines. For example, the identification of mine-free areas is already feasible and in the first phases after a conflict this could enable an early resumption to a productive, normal life. Again, sophisticated sensor systems are widely used for military application and if modified could be adapted to humanitarian purposes. Governments should act on the responsibility to promote access for humanitarian projects to available technology.

The private sector has been well represented at this conference and has played an essential role in developing recommendations in conjunction with the working groups. It is my hope that they too will assist in the development of appropriate technology for the low cost and safe clearance of landmines. If not for altruistic reasons alone, then from a range of motives including company policy on long term profit.

To ensure that cost-effective and appropriate technology is promoted, the United Nations will facilitate the establishment of a technical board to evaluate new technologies, including mechanical clearance equipment, before it is utilised by the humanitarian demining community.

Although overall economic feasibility issues were not widely discussed, I would like to emphasise that more work needs to be done to devise proper appraisal techniques that can be applied to mine clearance projects. Similarly, to the way we assess other development activities. Then only by combining technical and feasibility tests we can arrive at optimal choices. The clearance of some mines fields are prohibitively expensive, and the resources would be better applied to other purposes.

The momentum gathered over the past three days should not be lost. I look forward to the United Nations, with the continued support of the Government of Denmark, maintaining this momentum in working towards the finalisation and international acceptance of the recommendations put before us today.

The Government of Denmark, together with other governments, will make sure that the very positive recommendations of this conference will gain the broadest possible support in all relevant international fora including the upcoming session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Thank you all for the tremendous efforts you have put into this conference. Your work in the field of humanitarian mine clearance will hopefully be made safer and more efficient as a result of your interaction here.