Slovene government donates 88,000 euros for mine clearance in Caucasus

STA news agency
30 Jun 05

Ljubljana, 30 June: The government has approved a 21m tolars (88,000
euros) donation for the International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine
Victims Assistance (ITF) for its activities in the Caucasus region.

The money is to be spent on the organization of a regional conference
on demining under the auspices of the OSCE, as well as assistance to
mine victims and demining in Azerbaijan.

The Slovene-run ITF specialises in demining in Southeastern Europe,
but it expanded its activities to the Caucasus region in 2002 at the
urging of donor countries.

The government said on Thursday [30 June] that Azerbaijan, Armenia and
Georgia suffer from severe mine pollution, so the country sees demining
there as a crucial foundation for stability, security and democracy.

This also fits with Slovenia’s overall efforts in the region, which
is in the focus of the OSCE, which Slovenia presides over this year.