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NATO Supports Landmine Destruction in Serbia and Montenegro

26 August 2005

Project is part of NATO Partnership for Peace Trust Fund

A special facility that will be used to destroy 1.3 million landmines was opened in Kragujevac, Serbia and Montenegro, August 17 as part of the NATO's Partnership for Peace Trust Fund initiative.

The facility will consolidate the destruction of landmines currently in 57 locations around the country.

Through the trust fund, NATO and partner countries help fund projects to assist alliance partner countries in the safe destruction of stockpiled landmines, munitions and weapons. This the second NATO Trust Fund project to be carried out in Serbia and Montenegro. 

There are also ongoing or completed projects in Albania, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Tajikistan and Ukraine, as well as a second project under development Moldova and one for Kazakhstan.

For more information, see the electronic journal  Protecting Lives, Restoring Livelihoods: The U.S. Program To Remove Landmines.

More information is also available at the Partnership for Peace Trust Fund page at the NATO Web site. 

Following is a NATO press release on the landmine program for Serbia and Montenegro:

(begin text)

NATO Update
17 August 2005

1.3 MILLION LANDMINES TO BE DESTROYED IN SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO

A special facility where 1.3 landmines will be destroyed under a NATO Partnership for Peace Trust Fund project was opened on 17 August in Kragujevac, Serbia and Montenegro.

This the second NATO Trust Fund project to be carried out in Serbia and Montenegro and will help the country to meet its obligations under the international Mine Ban Treaty.

The project will see the safe destruction of over 1.3 million anti-personnel landmines currently stockpiled in 57 different locations in Serbia and Montenegro.

Eliminating weapons

The project will also enhance the capacity of Kragujevac plant to conduct other demilitarisation projects in the coming years.

Under NATO's Partnership for Peace Trust Fund, NATO and partner countries help fund projects to assist Alliance partner countries in the safe destruction of stockpiled landmines, munitions and weapons.

To date, more than 2 million landmines, as well as thousands of tonnes of munitions and thousands of small arms have been safely eliminated under the programme.

Canada and Austria are the lead nations for the project. Funding is also provided by Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

NATO's Supply and Maintenance Agency (NAMSA) is the executing agent for the project.

The opening ceremony was attended by representatives of Serbia and Montenegro, the donor countries and NAMSA, and it was followed by a tour of the destruction facilities.

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