U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE: "THE EXACT EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM IN NAGORNO KARABAKH REMAINS UNKNOWN"
Azeri Press Agency
June 4 2008
Azerbaijan
Baku. Tamara Grigoryeva-APA. The U.S. Department of State released
the seventh edition of the report "To walk the Earth in Safety"
summarizing the 2006-2007 accomplishments of the U.S. Humanitarian
Mine Action Program, the world's largest operation to clear mines
and explosive remnants of war (most of which are of non-U.S. origin),
teach mine risk education, and assist conflict survivors, APA reports
quoting the website of the US Department of State.
Azerbaijan-related part of the report says that Azerbaijan Conflict
with Armenia from 1988-1994, plus the presence of dilapidated former
Soviet bases on its territory, left Azerbaijan with a landmine,
explosive remnants of war, and abandoned ordnance problem.
"A Landmine Impact Survey completed in 2003 indicated that 643
communities were contaminated by landmines and/or unexploded ordnance
(UXO), located in 18 of 65 districts in the country. Between
1991 and July 2006, there were 2,297 landmine or UXO casualties
registered. According to the Azerbaijan Agency for National Mine
Action (ANAMA), in 2006 there were 17 reported incidents in which two
people were killed and 15 injured, including some deminers. The exact
extent of the problem in areas occupied by Armenian forces remains
unknown but is believed to be significant. ANAMA reports that it has
successfully developed a Mine Action Strategic Plan to eliminate the
humanitarian impact of landmines and UXO from accessible regions
of the country by 2008. In FY 2006, the Office of Weapons Removal
and Abatement (PM/WRA) in the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of
Political-Military Affairs provided $3,106,246 for mine action support
to Azerbaijan, consisting of $2,326,840 for program operating costs and
$709,866 for technical support to ANAMA through the PM/WRA contractor
ArmorGroup. Additionally, PM/WRA granted the International Eurasia
Press Fund (IEPF) $69,540 to establish a sustainable Mine Victims
Association in the Tartar district that will provide support and
assistance in the social and vocational reintegration of landmine
survivors. In FY 2007, PM/WRA provided $2,487,000 to support
Azerbaijan mine action; $2.3 million of that support went to ANAMA
for ongoing clearance operations, and $187,000 was provided to the
IEPF to establish regional branches of the Azerbaijan Mine Victims
Association in the Fizuli and Aghstafa districts.
Azeri Press Agency
June 4 2008
Azerbaijan
Baku. Tamara Grigoryeva-APA. The U.S. Department of State released
the seventh edition of the report "To walk the Earth in Safety"
summarizing the 2006-2007 accomplishments of the U.S. Humanitarian
Mine Action Program, the world's largest operation to clear mines
and explosive remnants of war (most of which are of non-U.S. origin),
teach mine risk education, and assist conflict survivors, APA reports
quoting the website of the US Department of State.
Azerbaijan-related part of the report says that Azerbaijan Conflict
with Armenia from 1988-1994, plus the presence of dilapidated former
Soviet bases on its territory, left Azerbaijan with a landmine,
explosive remnants of war, and abandoned ordnance problem.
"A Landmine Impact Survey completed in 2003 indicated that 643
communities were contaminated by landmines and/or unexploded ordnance
(UXO), located in 18 of 65 districts in the country. Between
1991 and July 2006, there were 2,297 landmine or UXO casualties
registered. According to the Azerbaijan Agency for National Mine
Action (ANAMA), in 2006 there were 17 reported incidents in which two
people were killed and 15 injured, including some deminers. The exact
extent of the problem in areas occupied by Armenian forces remains
unknown but is believed to be significant. ANAMA reports that it has
successfully developed a Mine Action Strategic Plan to eliminate the
humanitarian impact of landmines and UXO from accessible regions
of the country by 2008. In FY 2006, the Office of Weapons Removal
and Abatement (PM/WRA) in the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of
Political-Military Affairs provided $3,106,246 for mine action support
to Azerbaijan, consisting of $2,326,840 for program operating costs and
$709,866 for technical support to ANAMA through the PM/WRA contractor
ArmorGroup. Additionally, PM/WRA granted the International Eurasia
Press Fund (IEPF) $69,540 to establish a sustainable Mine Victims
Association in the Tartar district that will provide support and
assistance in the social and vocational reintegration of landmine
survivors. In FY 2007, PM/WRA provided $2,487,000 to support
Azerbaijan mine action; $2.3 million of that support went to ANAMA
for ongoing clearance operations, and $187,000 was provided to the
IEPF to establish regional branches of the Azerbaijan Mine Victims
Association in the Fizuli and Aghstafa districts.