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U.K. HELPS FUND UKRAINIAN ARMS DESTRUCTION

RIA Novosti

LONDON, February 22 (RIA Novosti's Alexander Smotrov) - Great Britain has allocated ?400,000 to Ukraine for the destruction of small arms and ammunition. This initiative has been voiced by Foreign Office Minister Chris Mullin.

"The United Kingdom, along with the United States, supports this important project for the destruction of small arms and ammunition to promote security in Ukraine and the entire region," he said. "Our support is part of the British effort to counter the spread of small arms in the world," he said.

The British money is part of a fund set up within the NATO Partnership for Peace program in answer to Ukraine's asking for international help in the elimination of small arms. Ukraine inherited 1.5 million pieces of small arms, 133,000 tons of ammunition and 1,000 portable anti-aircraft missile systems from the Soviet Union.

The project's total cost is $27 million. The first phase of the project begins in spring 2005 and it will last for three years. It will incur up to $8.5 million in expenses.

Alongside Britain, the U.S. has allocated $1.6 million and Norway 240,000 euros, for the project.