11/07/2011 (Agence Europe) - UK Conservative proposes new approach on landmines. The report by UK Conservative MEP Geoffrey Van Orden which was approved by the European Parliament on Thursday 7 July seeks to re-focus the European approach on clearing anti-personnel landmines. Van Orden suggests that European funding allocated for mine clearance in those countries where they remain after warfare should be in proportion either to the number of mines or to the wealth of the country. Action on mine clearing goes back to the Ottawa Treaty and has cost the international community $4 billion in 15 years. Every year there are thousands of casualties from landmines. In 2009, the figure fell to fewer than 4,000, the lowest annual total since monitoring began. (G.Ba/Gp/transl.rt)