USINFO.STATE.GOV
25 February 2005
United States Funds Rocket Fuel Disposal Project in Armenia
Project will neutralize rocket fuel component, produce fertilizer byproduct
Washington — The United States will contribute over $1 million toward a
project of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to
eliminate rocket fuel component stocks in Armenia, according to the U.S.
Embassy in Yerevan.
These rocket fuel components, known as melange, are often kept in inadequate
containers that present considerable environmental risk in addition to the
inherent security risk, the U.S. Embassy said. These types of stocks are
found in other states of the former Soviet Union, as well as in Armenia.
The OSCE said that in response to a request from Armenia in April 2004 for
technical and financial support for the recycling of 872 tons of melange,
the OSCE Office in Yerevan arranged for international experts to advise on
the environmentally sound recycling of the chemicals.
The method of neutralizing the melange chosen by the OSCE will result in the
added positive byproduct of a liquid fertilizer for use by Armenia’s
farmers.
The U.S. Embassy said the United States is the primary source of funds for
this project, accounting for nearly 75 percent of the budget. Other
countries such as Germany, Finland and Canada have also contributed —
particularly to the project’s crucial initial phases, which were completed
in 2004.
On February 22, a memorandum of understanding on the elimination of the
rocket-fuel-component stocks was signed by Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin, the
head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, and Serzh Sargssian, the minister of
defense of Armenia and secretary of the National Security Council.
“The Office will continue to support this important activity, which aims to
improve both the environment and the security of the Armenian population,”
said Ambassador Pryakhin.
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: )
This page printed from:
;y05&m=February&x050225171134xlrenneF0.4393732&t=eur/eur-latest.html
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress