OSCE To Assist Better Management Of Moldovan Arms Depots

ITAR-TASS, 29 October 2010

CHISINAU-- The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) will provide the Moldovan armed forces with 1.4 million euros for modernization and construction of arms depots and disposal of old munitions, the Moldovan Defense Ministry said on Friday.

Moldovan Defense Minister Vitalie Marinuta and head of the OSCE mission to Moldova, Ambassador Philip Remler, signed a memorandum of understanding between the Mission and the Ministry to implement a comprehensive program on small arms, light weapons and conventional ammunition.

"This program will help the Republic of Moldova become a more secure place for its citizens," Remler said. "Thanks to better management of the stockpile and security of these weapons and ammunition, civilians living near storage sites will be safer. The program will contribute to non-proliferation regional stability, and confidence and security building measures."

The program, which will run until the end of 2012, will apply best practices from the OSCE region in such areas as stockpile management and security, destruction of aerial bombs and air-launched rockets, and disposal of obsolete surface to air missiles.

The program was developed by the OSCE in response to a request by the Defense Ministry of Moldova.

The governments of Spain, Norway, Sweden and Germany are the main donors of the program.

Moldova has disposed of over 27,000 munitions with the expired service life in the past three years with the assistance of the OSCE.