Second type of ammunition disposal gear arrives in Moldova
(OSCE/Neil Brennan)Destruction of heavy weapons started in June 2001, with the help of
an OSCE voluntary fund and under the supervision of the OSCE
Mission to Moldova. (OSCE/Neil Brennan) Photo details
CHISINAU, 25 June 2002 - The second delivery of ammunition disposal equipment destined for on-site work at Colbasna, Transdniestria, arrived in Moldova yesterday. The latest equipment is a destruction kiln, produced by the German firm Luthe, and several truckloads of supporting devices. It joins the so-called "Donovan" chamber of the American firm DeMil International, which has been in Moldova since 13 April, awaiting permission from the Transdniestrian authorities to proceed to Colbasna and begin work at the Operational Group of Russian Forces (OGRF) ammunition storage facility.
Both chambers have been provided through the resources of the OSCE's Voluntary Fund, set up to facilitate the withdrawal or disposal of Russian ammunition in the Transdniestrian region of Moldova. In the case of the Luthe chamber, nine Voluntary Fund donors provided financial support for this contract.
The Donovan and Luthe chambers represent two of the three so-called pilot projects for OGRF ammunition disposal. The third project involves transportation of sophisticated ammunition-like rockets and guided weapons to Murmansk for disposal. To date, contributors to the Voluntary Fund have provided over seven million euros to support these three contracts.
"As Executive Agent for the Voluntary Fund, I am very concerned that funds provided by participating states be used in the most cost-effective, accountable manner possible in these and subsequent contracts," stressed David Swartz, head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova. "That the Donovan chamber has been sitting unused in Chisinau for two and a half months and now the Luthe device will also be stored here for an indeterminate time is cause for great concern," Swartz added.
Thus, the prompt agreement by the relevant Transdniestrian authorities to permit commencement of ammunition disposal at Colbasna will be welcomed by the Mission and the entire OSCE community. Eliminating this dangerous stockpile of ammunition serves the interests above all of the ordinary people living in the areas adjacent to the ammunition storage site.
All three of the pilot projects can begin as soon as Transdniestrian co-operation is forthcoming.
Both chambers have been provided through the resources of the OSCE's Voluntary Fund, set up to facilitate the withdrawal or disposal of Russian ammunition in the Transdniestrian region of Moldova. In the case of the Luthe chamber, nine Voluntary Fund donors provided financial support for this contract.
The Donovan and Luthe chambers represent two of the three so-called pilot projects for OGRF ammunition disposal. The third project involves transportation of sophisticated ammunition-like rockets and guided weapons to Murmansk for disposal. To date, contributors to the Voluntary Fund have provided over seven million euros to support these three contracts.
"As Executive Agent for the Voluntary Fund, I am very concerned that funds provided by participating states be used in the most cost-effective, accountable manner possible in these and subsequent contracts," stressed David Swartz, head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova. "That the Donovan chamber has been sitting unused in Chisinau for two and a half months and now the Luthe device will also be stored here for an indeterminate time is cause for great concern," Swartz added.
Thus, the prompt agreement by the relevant Transdniestrian authorities to permit commencement of ammunition disposal at Colbasna will be welcomed by the Mission and the entire OSCE community. Eliminating this dangerous stockpile of ammunition serves the interests above all of the ordinary people living in the areas adjacent to the ammunition storage site.
All three of the pilot projects can begin as soon as Transdniestrian co-operation is forthcoming.