Key development
since March 1999: Uzbekistan is reported to have reinforced its border with
Kyrgyzstan with landmines.
Mine Ban Policy
Uzbekistan has not acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty.
According to a Russian Foreign Ministry official in May 2000, at high political
levels the Uzbekistan government shares the goals and aims of the Mine Ban
Treaty, but cannot immediately join because of financial
constraints.[1] Uzbekistan is
not known to have made any statements on landmines, or attended any diplomatic
meetings on landmines, in 1999 or 2000.
In December 1999, Uzbekistan abstained on the vote on UN General Assembly
Resolution 54/54B supporting universalization of the Mine Ban Treaty. This
contrasted with its vote in favor of similar resolutions in 1996 and 1997 (it
was absent from the 1998 vote). The change comes in the wake of reports of
Uzbekistan use of mines in 1999.
Uzbekistan is a state party to the 1980 Convention on Conventional Weapons,
but has not ratified the original or the amended Protocol II on landmines.
Uzbekistan is not a member of the Conference on Disarmament.
Production, Transfer, Stockpiling
Uzbekistan is not believed to have produced or
exported antipersonnel landmines. It inherited stockpiles of AP mines from the
Soviet Union. One official from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated
that many of the mines have an expired shelf-life (ten to twelve years of
storage). He said, “More than half of the stored mines are in fact the
items of special menace, because they are equipped with the liquid type of
explosive. These types of mines are difficult to destroy by the cheapest
possible way – by burning – because it could lead to contamination
of the air, which is harmful to the
environment.”[2]
Use
In June-September 1999 a conflict took place when
an armed group from Tajikistan intruded into Kyrgyz territory near the
Uzbekistan border. The intruders were repelled during combat actions in which
Kyrgyz armed forces and Uzbeki air forces took
part.[3]
As a result of the conflict Uzbekistan is reported to have reinforced its
unmarked border with Kyrgyzstan with
landmines.[4] One of the
reported cases is the mining by Uzbeki military of territory near the Kyrgyz
settlement of Boz Adyr, which is a disputed area of the Kyrgyz-Uzbeki border.
Initially the area was marked with warning signs, which later
disappeared.[5] It has been
reported that animals have been killed by detonating mines in the area. Local
papers reported that the area had “been mined only
recently.”[6]
Mine Action
Uzbekistan is not considered to have a mine
problem.[7] Uzbekistan is not
known to have contributed to any international mine action programs.
[1] Analytical Note by Andrei Malov, Senior
Counselor, Department of International Security, Disarmament and Arms Control,
RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 13 May
2000. [2]
Ibid. [3] Interview with Asel Otorbaeva,
correspondent of Vecherny Bishkek daily, and Marat Bozgunchiev, Director of the
WHO Information Center for republics of Central Asia, 17 May
2000. [4] Email communication with Nick
Megoran of Eurasia Insight, Central Eurasia Project, regarding the situation on
the Uzbek-Kyrgyz border, 22 June 2000 and 1 July 2000; Daniyal Karimov, article
in Delo newspaper, 3 May 2000. [5]
Daniyal Karimov, article in Delo newspaper, 3 May
2000. [6] Email communication with Nick
Megoran of Eurasia Insight, Central Eurasia Project, 22 June 2000 and 1 July
2000. [7] U.S. State Department, Hidden
Killers, December 1994, p. 24.