Ammunition stockpile security in focus of OSCE-supported visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina for Turkmenistan military officials

Officials from Turkmenistan's Presidential Administration and the Ministry of Defence discussed best practices in enhancing ammunition stockpile security during an OSCE-organized study visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina that concluded on 12 October 2018.

The visit began with introductory presentations by representatives of the European Union Force (EUFOR) and the OSCE Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina that gave a general overview of their activities in the field of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and conventional ammunition (CA) management.

The delegation visited the ammunition site at Doboj where a newly established laboratory is located. Delegation members observed how chemical and thermal analysis of gun powder is made, as well as three methods of ammunition disposal. The participants also visited the weapons storage site in Visoko and the ammunition storage site in Krupa where they were shown warehouses recently refurbished in accordance with international standards of ammunition and weapons storage management.

“Small arms and light weapons and conventional ammunition continue to represent a serious threat to security in the OSCE region. In this regard, the OSCE participating States have adopted a number of key documents to regulate their production, transfer, storage, collection and destruction," said Natalya Drozd, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat. She added that the Office remains committed to providing further support to the government of Turkmenistan in this field.

As part of the visit, delegation members held meetings with their counterparts at the Defence Ministry of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Discussions focused on the management of weapons and ammunition in the country’s armed forces and capacity building of life-cycle management of ammunition.

The study visit was organized by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, in close co-operation with the OSCE Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Forum for Security Co-operation Support Unit at the OSCE Secretariat.