Sri Lanka, where landmines have left hundreds dead or maimed in the protracted ethnic conflict, says it is not yet ready to sign the Ottawa Convention on Anti-Personnel Landmines. The Foreign Minister, Mr Lakshman Kadirgamar, who stated this, however , stressed the importance of the Ottawa Convention for a total ban on anti-personel landmines. The treaty was ratified by 64 countries by 1 March.