FIRST Minister John Swinney has U-turned after he signalled support for breaching international law in the Ukraine war.
The SNP leader said last week that he stood “absolutely steadfastly behind the support to Ukraine” when asked by LBC about US plans to send long-range missiles and anti-personnel landmines to help in the fight against the Russian invasion.
“I don't welcome armed conflict, but where a country has its territorial integrity invaded by a foreign power that has to be repelled, and so I support the steps being taken by the United States government,” Swinney said.
NEW: Scotland’s FM John Swinney backs US measures to allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles and land mines, says “where a country has its territorial integrity invaded by a foreign power, that has to be repelled… I support the steps taken”@LBCNewsScot @LBC @LBCNews pic.twitter.com/8QMZPGILoZ
— @GinaDavidson (@ginadavidsonlbc) November 20, 2024
However, campaigners raised concerns that Swinney’s comments were advocating a breach of international law.
Under the 1997 Ottawa Convention, to which both the UK and Ukraine are signatories, the use of anti-personnel mines is strictly prohibited.
The same convention, of which the US is not a signatory, also outlaws the development, production, acquisition, storage, or transfer of anti-personnel landmines – as well as encouraging others to do so.
The US decision to provide the mines to Ukraine sparked international reaction, with UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres and Pope Francis among the voices saying anti-personnel mines should not be used.
By coincidence, a global conference on the Ottawa Convention banning landmines is taking place in Cambodia this week. It has seen protests against the US decision to supply Ukraine with land mines, which as a signatory to the 1997 Treaty would be breaking the law if it accepted them.
Erin Hunt, the director of Mines Action Canada who sits on the board of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), spoke to The National from the Cambodian conference. She said the SNP leader had signalled a “very disappointing position”.
“To hear world leaders saying that it’s okay to put more mines in the ground, it’s incredibly disappointing,” she went on.
“There seems to be a bit of a reluctance to speak out on this, I think because everyone is so supportive of Ukraine. We stand with Ukraine, but still we have to stand with the treaty as well – and the treaty is quite simple.”
Hunt said that she knew people in Cambodia who had lost limbs or even loved ones to land mines, years after the end of the conflict in which they were placed.
She said that using anti-personnel mines was “a gift of death for Ukrainians for decades to come”.
“Before jumping in with a knee-jerk response to issues like this, our politicians should learn about what they are supporting,” she added.
“It took years of campaigning to get the landmine treaty into law and some credit should go to the late Princess Diana for the work she did to publicise the long-term horrors of these weapons.
“Credit should also go to two of our neighbouring states – Ireland and Norway – who rescued the treaty when it was struggling. This is the kind of role we would hope an independent Scotland could perform.”
Asked about the First Minister’s position and whether it was compatible with international law, a Scottish Government spokesperson suggested he did not in fact condone the use of land mines.
“As the First Minister said, the Scottish Government stands steadfastly behind Ukraine and supports measures to ensure it can defend itself from aggression,” they said.
“The First Minister did not however comment on the use of specific weaponry.
“The UK is a signatory of the Ottawa Convention, which prohibits anti-personnel mines.”
