LONDON - The new Labour government promised yesterday to destroy all Britain's anti personnel landmines by 2005, pursuing its pledge to put human rights at the centre of foreign policy.
The previous Conservative government had also vowed to scrap its stocks of so called APLs but gave no target date.
It had also reserved the right to replace the weapons with "smart mines", which self detonate after a certain period. but the new government said it would shun these replacements.
"They have done enormous carnage. often to wholly innocent civilians including children. The sooner that Britain gives a lead in this, the better. It is the right and the civilised thing to do," the Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, told parliament.
He said the government would ban the import, export and manufacture of APLs. However, this does not represent a major policy change since Britain has not bought, sold or built the weapons for several years.