The Obama administration is backtracking from an announcement it will continue US policy of rejecting an international convention banning land mines. Last week, the State Department said the White House has decided to leave the US stance in place following a review. But US officials now claim the review is still ongoing. On Tuesday, State Department official James Lawrence addressed attendees at a Mine Ban Treaty review conference in Colombia.

James Lawrence: “The administration’s decision to attend the review conference in Cartagena is the result of an ongoing comprehensive review of US land mine policy initiated at the direction of President Obama. This is the first comprehensive review since 2003. As such, it will take some time to complete, given that we must ensure that all factors are considered.”

The US is one of nearly forty countries that have refused to ratify the Mine Ban Treaty, which bars the use, stockpiling, production or transfer of antipersonnel mines.