DUSHANBE, January 9, 2014, Asia-Plus – On Wednesday January 8, the OSCE Office in Tajikistan began overseeing the destruction of more than a thousand of small arms and light weapons units, including firearms collected from the local population and arms found in caches across various regions of Tajikistan.

According to the OSCE Office, the operation is taking place at the Tajik Interior Ministry’s Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) Storage and Destruction Facility.  The OSCE provided special shredding machines, and over the two-week operation Ministry specialists will destroy a total of 1165 weapons.

“Arms control is an important issue on the OSCE agenda, and is a priority for the OSCE Office in Tajikistan,” said Erdal Duzdaban, Acting Head of the Politico-Military Department at the OSCE Office in Tajikistan, during a visit to the destruction site.  “Over almost ten years of co-operation with the government and law enforcement structures of Tajikistan on arms security and stockpiles management, significant progress has been achieved in bringing standards of arms control and management closer in line with the best international practices and requirements.”

Major-General Farhod Shodmonbekov of the Interior Ministry of Tajikistan said: “Although the number of weapons seized decreases every year, arms caches are still found all over the country.  The constant and significant support from the OSCE in strengthening Tajikistan’s capacity to store and destroy arms is vital in this regard, and we are determined to continue our joint efforts to enhance the overall security of the country.”

The OSCE Office in Tajikistan has supported similar operations since 2005.  The OSCE also trained Tajik specialists in applying physical security measures, including transportation and destruction of small arms, light weapons and conventional ammunition stockpiles.