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28 October 2003

NATO Signs Agreement to Clean Up Former Military Sites in Georgia

Oct. 28: Luxembourg will serve as lead nation

NATO signed a financial management agreement for the Trust Fund Project with Georgia on October 28 that will finance the demilitarization of over 300 ground-air defense missiles located at former military bases in Ponichala and Chaladidi and the clean-up of unexploded ordnance at Vaziani.

Luxembourg will serve as the lead nation in the project that is designed to "increase security in the region, prevent environmental contamination and allow future civilian use of the cleaned up area," according a NATO press release.

To date, projects to destroy more than two million Anti-Personnel Landmines (APLs) have been completed in Albania, Moldova and Ukraine.

Following is the press release:

(begin text)

NATO Press Release
October 28, 2003

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT FOR TRUST FUND PROJECT WITH GEORGIA SIGNED TODAY

Today at NATO's headquarters, the Minister of Defence of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Mr. Charles Goerens, has signed the financial management agreement for the Trust Fund Project with Georgia.

This project covers the demilitarization of over 300 ground-air defence missiles located at former military bases in Ponichala and Chaladidi, as well as the clean up of unexploded ordnance over an area of 3,600 hectares at Vaziani, a former military site. The realization of this program will increase security in the region, prevent environmental contamination and allow future civilian use of the cleaned up area. It is the first time such a project is established in Georgia - or in Caucasus - and the first time Luxembourg serves as lead nation.

The project costs are estimated at EUR 0.8 million. Georgia will also make a substantial contribution in kind. The NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA) based in Capellen, Luxembourg, will serve as the executing agent of the project.

The signature ceremony has taken place in the presence of Lord Robertson, NATO's Secretary General and the representatives of the other nations contributing to the Trust Fund: Canada, Denmark, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Turkey and United Kingdom.

The PfP Trust Fund Policy is a tool to support NATO and Partner practical activities to destroy munitions, weapons and managing the consequences of defence reform. The Policy provides a framework for pooling of national contributions. Initiatives are developed on a project basis and led by one NATO and one Partner nation.

To date, projects to destroy more than 2 million Anti-Personnel Landmines (APLs) have been completed in Albania, Moldova and Ukraine.

(end text)

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

This page printed from: http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2003&m=October&x=20031028165053ruevecert0.4678919&t=usinfo/wf-latest.html