British organization implementing mine clearance project in Upper Garabagh

Assa Irada
26 Oct 2004

Baku, October 26, AssA-Irada — British “The HALO Trust” organization
is implementing a landmine clearance project in Upper Garabagh. The
Khankandi-based organization spent $800,000 in 2002 and $1.4 million
in 2004 as part of the project. 75% of the funds were directed to
clearance of areas from landmines in Upper Garabagh and the remainder
– to purchase equipment, a spokesman for the organization said.

The project is mainly being implemented in settlements, schools and
nursery schools, and the areas with communications lines. 89 out of 482
sites have been cleared from landmines so far, the spokesman said.
With regard to the issue of mine clearance operations in Upper
Garabagh, an independent military expert said that landmines in
Upper Garabagh were buried by Armenian separatists from 1988 till
1993 in an effort to strengthen the borders of the self-proclaimed
Upper Garabagh Republic and annex the Azerbaijani region to Armenia.*

–Boundary_(ID_3rUc/UtGUMAQuNyHEVaqsQ)–