12 Dec. 2003

NATO assists in removal of heavy weapons in Afghanistan Background NATO in Afghanistan NATO-led troops are currently assisting the Afghan Ministry of Defence in the removal of heavy weapons from the Pansjher Valley to a government storage site near Kabul. The transferred weapons include tanks, artillery pieces, surface-to-surface missile systems, and multiple rocket launching systems belonging to armed factions in the country. The storage of these heavy weapons will operate under a “dual key” system, which guarantees that none of the stored equipment can be taken from the cantonment site without the agreement of both the Ministry of Defence and the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). ISAF was involved in the planning of the transfer and is assisting with the logistics. The details of transfer were outlined in a technical agreement signed between the Chief of the General Staff of the Ministry of Defence and the Commander of ISAF, on 09 December 2003. “This intiative represents a crucial step toward the enhancement of stability, as envisioned under the terms of the Bonn Accord. It also constitutes an important step toward the further development of a capable Afghan National Army, as it is likely that most of these weapons will eventually be used to equip National Army units,” said NATO spokesman Jamie Shea. NATO will continue to work closely with the Afghan Government in maintaining the momentum of the disarmament and demobilization process and the further cantonment of additional heavy weapons.