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21 October 2003

New Southeast Europe Mine Detection Dog Center Opens

Scope of assistance to grow beyond landmines

A new Southeast Europe Mine Detection Dog Center has opened near Konjic in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the State Department announced October 21.

The center has been established by the U.S. State Department in coordination with the Slovenian International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance, and with the assistance of the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Konjic municipality.

The Center will also train dogs and human handlers to find narcotics, provide security, and perform search and rescue operations, according to the following State Department media note:

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
October 21, 2003

Media Note

SOUTHEAST EUROPE MINE DETECTION DOG CENTER OPENS: SCOPE OF ASSISTANCE TO GROW BEYOND LANDMINES

Balkan countries have a major new asset to help speed humanitarian demining with the creation of the Mine Detection Dog Center for the Region of South-East Europe, located near Konjic in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Center was established by the U.S. Department of State in coordination with the Slovenian International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance and with the assistance of the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Konjic municipality.

While the safe and thorough detection of persistent landmines will be the initial focus of the dog training, the Center also will train dogs and human handlers to find narcotics, provide security, and perform search and rescue operations.

This important project has been brought to completion through the combined efforts of the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance, and our Embassy in Sarajevo.

The Mine Detection Dog Center was established within the framework of the South-Eastern Europe Mine Action Coordination Council (SEEMACC) as an integral part of the regional approach to humanitarian mine action. The U.S. Department of State will provide approximately $3.5 million dollars of support to the Center for the first three years. The Center will subsequently be sustained by the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

To learn more about the U.S. Department of State's humanitarian mine action efforts in Bosnia and Herzegovina and elsewhere around the world, visit www.state.gov/t/pm/wra.

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(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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