OSCE Centre, Tajik Interior Ministry open facility to store and destroy small arms and light weapons
(OSCE/Surat Toimastov)A storage and destruction facility for small arms and light weapons (SALW) was opened by the OSCE Centre in Dushanbe, 22 June 2006. The facility is equipped with special cutting machines to destroy recovered weapons. (OSCE/Surat Toimastov) Photo details
DUSHANBE, 22 June 2006 - The OSCE Centre in Dushanbe and the Tajik Interior Ministry today opened a storage and destruction facility for small arms and light weapons (SALW) in Dushanbe.
Located at the Ministry's Material Technical Supply Base, the facility is equipped with special cutting machines and will destroy over 26,000 weapons recovered or seized by Tajik law enforcing agencies. Tajik officers have been trained here to run the facility.
"I hope that the safe storage and destruction of surplus SALW will contribute to implementing the Presidential Decree on the seizure and destruction of light weapons and improve the security of the Tajik people," said Ambassador Alain Couanon, Head of the OSCE Centre.
Alihon Rahmonov, the Deputy Interior Minister of Tajikistan, added: "This project will help better combat criminality and the illegal possession and use of SALW, thus reducing the threat of proliferation within Tajikistan and contributing to security and regional stability in Central Asia. The small arms and light weapons, accumulated in Tajikistan during and after the 1992-1997 civil war and the following amnesty, still represent a danger for the local population."
The opening of the new facility was attended by a delegation of OSCE ambassadors visiting Tajikistan, representatives of Tajik law enforcement agencies, the Foreign Ministry and other governmental institutions, as well as international organizations and the diplomatic corps.
The new facility is part of the SALW and Conventional Ammunitions Programme, which started in June 2005. Over 21 tonnes of conventional ammunition have been destroyed so far. On 21 June, officers of the Tajik State Border Protection Committee together with a French expert team destroyed all shoulder fired anti-aircraft missiles, also known as MANPADS (man-portable air defence systems), seized in the country. These could have been used to shoot down civil and military aircraft.
On 4 November 2005, a munitions destruction training centre and demolition ground was opened in Lohur, some 30 km from the capital Dushanbe. Other two components of the Programme will consist of the construction and refurbishment of SALW storage facilities for different Tajik governmental agencies, and the construction of an ammunition storage facility for the Tajik State Border Protection Committee.
These activities are the result of the joint efforts of the OSCE, the Tajik Government and law enforcement agencies, and follow a request of the Tajik Government.
Finland, France, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden, the USA, and The Netherlands, contributed to the programme with donations and training.
Located at the Ministry's Material Technical Supply Base, the facility is equipped with special cutting machines and will destroy over 26,000 weapons recovered or seized by Tajik law enforcing agencies. Tajik officers have been trained here to run the facility.
"I hope that the safe storage and destruction of surplus SALW will contribute to implementing the Presidential Decree on the seizure and destruction of light weapons and improve the security of the Tajik people," said Ambassador Alain Couanon, Head of the OSCE Centre.
Alihon Rahmonov, the Deputy Interior Minister of Tajikistan, added: "This project will help better combat criminality and the illegal possession and use of SALW, thus reducing the threat of proliferation within Tajikistan and contributing to security and regional stability in Central Asia. The small arms and light weapons, accumulated in Tajikistan during and after the 1992-1997 civil war and the following amnesty, still represent a danger for the local population."
The opening of the new facility was attended by a delegation of OSCE ambassadors visiting Tajikistan, representatives of Tajik law enforcement agencies, the Foreign Ministry and other governmental institutions, as well as international organizations and the diplomatic corps.
The new facility is part of the SALW and Conventional Ammunitions Programme, which started in June 2005. Over 21 tonnes of conventional ammunition have been destroyed so far. On 21 June, officers of the Tajik State Border Protection Committee together with a French expert team destroyed all shoulder fired anti-aircraft missiles, also known as MANPADS (man-portable air defence systems), seized in the country. These could have been used to shoot down civil and military aircraft.
On 4 November 2005, a munitions destruction training centre and demolition ground was opened in Lohur, some 30 km from the capital Dushanbe. Other two components of the Programme will consist of the construction and refurbishment of SALW storage facilities for different Tajik governmental agencies, and the construction of an ammunition storage facility for the Tajik State Border Protection Committee.
These activities are the result of the joint efforts of the OSCE, the Tajik Government and law enforcement agencies, and follow a request of the Tajik Government.
Finland, France, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden, the USA, and The Netherlands, contributed to the programme with donations and training.