Gong Cunseng, Chinese representative who attended the international seminar on mine action here, said "China is ready to cooperate with the international community and give full play to our respective advantages to help mine-affected countries to overcome the obstacle to the social development caused by landmines."

Since 1998, China has made enormous efforts in international demining assistance, including sponsoring international demining training workshops, donating to the UN demining assistance fund, providing demining equipment to mine-affected countries and sending demining experts to mine-affected countries for on-site instruction of mine clearance.

More than 100 representatives from about 40 nations participated in the international seminar in Phnom Penh which is called "Building a Cooperative Future for Mine Action in Southeast Asia."

The three-day seminar focused on assessing work on removing land mines in the last decade and exchanging ideas for future landmine removal.

Senior minister Sok An said in his closing speech "In the presentations and discussions, some important themes emerged. One was the necessity for mine action to exchange information, and another was that cooperation was central to the establishment of the Convention and continues to play an important role in its implementation."

Enrique Roman-Morey, executive secretary of the 5-MSP (5th Meeting of States Parties) to the Ottawa Convention, also stressed that "regional cooperation has been a very significant part of this success, and is an even more important tool when dealing with the many challenges which we still face."

During the seminar, the delegates spent a day at the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC) Training Center in Kampong Chhnang Province viewing demonstrations of all demining operations.

(Xinhua News Agency March 28, 2003)