On August 8-9, 2001 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia the Regional Workshop on disposal of anti-personnel mines and other kinds of ammunition stockpiles in the spirit of the Ottawa and Geneva conventions requirements was held.

The Workshop was organized by Canada and Malaysia. The delegates of 20 countries were present at the Workshop, as well as representatives of UNMAS, ICBL, GICHD, NAMSA. The Russian Federation was represented at the Workshop by the representatives of the RF Embassy in Malaysia and the Federal Group for mine problem Secretary Mr. Yu. P. Osipovitch.

The RF representatives brought and spread the information materials which evoked lively interest of all those present concerning:

- the disarmament ("demilitarisation") of minelets intended for loading cluster munitions and other types of mines by the "cementation" method;
- currently available technologies for humanitarian de-mining;
- fundamental remarks on the contents of the international draft standards of humanitarian de-mining which are under development by the Geneva Centre;
- the public fund "Centre for mine problems solution and ammo disposal" established in the Russian Federation;
- the meeting of mine problem experts from the RF, Ukraine, Belarus, European Union which was held in Moscow in June, 2001 and the Protocol of joint actions signing.

The Russian delegation handed over the specially prepared information to the Workshop Co-chairmen (Livermore and Arifine) describing the proposals and experience of Russian experts in mines demilitarization and humanitarian de-mining problems solution, including the results of the RF, Ukraine, Belarus and EU experts meeting.

In the reports of the representatives of a number of countries such as Malaysia, Australia, Japan, Thailand the facts of mines disposal from the stockpiles available by the methods of open explosion or in specially equipped trenches were established. The information on ecological and economical appraisal of mines disposal by the methods of explosion was not presented.

In the course of the Workshop the Russian delegation members held a wide discussions of the report "On international standards of humanitarian de-mining". Unfortunately, the Russian Federation delegation members did not get the answer from the reporter Mr. Wilkinson to their notes on the standards which were handed over to him in June, 2001 in Warsaw. As a consequence Mr. Livermore was asked to enter this item in the Concluding Protocol of the Workshop results. The term "ammo demilitarization" was also submitted for a wide discussion which was proposed by the Russian delegation at the Workshop in Budapest (January, 2001). The Geneva Centre and a number of reporters use this term in a distorted meaning. In actual practice the term "demilitarization" is used in the sense of "dismantling" which is impermissible. For this reason Mr. Livermore was asked to enter the item concerning the refinement of the term "demilitarization" in the minutes.

A number of countries expressed their interest in the Russian technology of mines demilitarization by the method of cementation. The use of this technology will make it possible to fulfill the Ottawa and Geneva conventions requirements, as in the process of AP mines treating a different kind of products are obtained. These products are converted irreversibly unserviceable to eliminate the possibility that they be useable for their proper purpose. However, they can be used in civilian industries. At the Workshop the agreement was achieved with the UNMAS representative on the RF experts including into the International Group of Experts in mine problem (he will expect the RF concrete proposals).

All the Russian delegation questions and statements were perceived positively by the Co-chairmen and delegates from other countries.

All other countries representatives got comprehensive answers to their questions addressed to the Russian delegation.

The reports presented at the Workshop showed that mines disposal is performed mainly by the method of open explosion. This method is unacceptable for especially dangerous types of mines, which the Russian technology of cementation proved to be very attractive for use in this case.