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Email this citationCIAO DATE: 12/05
Defence Conversion - The Disposal and Demilitarization of Heavy Weapon Systems
October 2005
South Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC)
Abstract
At the South Eastern Europe Cooperation Process (SEECP) Ministers of Defence meeting in Bucharest on 31 March 2005, the Ministers of Defence reaffirmed their commitment to enhance cooperation and dialogue in SEE, and also with international partners, on specific defense conversion related processes. This included an exchange of views on the conversion of redundant military facilities. A necessary precursor to the conversion of military facilities is the disposal of the equipment contained within those facilities, including heavy weapons.
The Ministers emphasized that the challenges associated with defense conversion are an integral part of overall Security Sector Reform (SSR) in countries concerned. Defence and Security Sector Reform remains a key component for some countries to move closer towards the EU and NATO. The need for increased regional cooperation on the destruction of redundant stockpiles of major conventional weapon systems was also noted.
The Ministers of Defence also requested that SEESAC provide its technical and managerial know-how on weapons destruction programs with international support in order to develop national programs for the destruction of surplus military weapons and ammunition, with international technical and financial support. The Regional Arms Control Verification and Implementation Assistance Centre (RACVIAC) has been tasked to act as a regional clearinghouse for defence conversion information and has also established three working groups. SEESAC has produced this paper at both the request of the Stability Pact and the UNDP Bureau for Crisis Preventation and Recovery in order to; 1) provide the background information necessary for deeper Stability Pact engagement and support for defence conversion in SEE; and 2) as part of the knowledge generation and management process within UNDP to assist them in their development of Security Sector Reform strategies.
Full Text (PDF, 27 pages, 1.86 MB)
