9/23-27/96: DEMILITARIZATION CONFERENCE HELD IN MINSK Officials from over 20 countries and several international organizations participated in the third annual demilitarization conference organized by the US Department of Defense entitled "The Effective Re-use of Former Military Bases: the Ecological and Economic Aspects of Demilitarization," held in Minsk. The conference, sponsored by the Nunn-Lugar CTR program, emphasized the case of Belarus, which has a large number of former Soviet military bases awaiting clean-up and conversion. Belarusian Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Mikhail Rusy said that Belarus will finance most of the base clean-up activities, and that the only base to have significant environmental problems so far is Pastavy. Financial agreements to clean up approximately four test ranges still need to be finalized with Russia. Sources: [1] Valeryy Charnyawski, "The Law of Nunn-Lugar 'Operates' on Belarusian Soil," in "Minister on Cleanup of Former Russian Bases," FIS-SOV-96-198, 10/28/96. [2] BELAPAN, 9/30/96, in "Work to Continue on Demilitarization of Military Bases," FIBS-SOV-96-191.] {Entered 3/5/97, mew}
3/12/96: ISTC: BELARUSIAN INSTITUTE TO PARTICIPATE IN PROJECT
The Belarusian Institute of Nuclear Problems in Minsk is participating in the ISTC project on "Development of Mass Production Technology of Lead Tungstate Scintillation Crystals." The Belarusian State University in Minsk is participating in the "Mathematical Simulation of Natural and Human Activity Accidents and Their Influence on Environmental Conditions and Ecology" project. [ISTC Funds 19 More Projects; To Approve Additional Projects This Month," POST-SOVIET NUCLEAR AND DEFENSE MONITOR, 3/12/96, pp. 4-6.]
6/95: SRF HOUSING AND EQUIPMENT UPDATE According to a 6/95 GAO report, $10 million of the Nunn-Lugar Defense Conversion assistance for Belarus will go toward building 207 housing units for demobilized strategic forces officers. The Belarus housing requirement for demobilization is 802 units. In 12/93, the US DOD delivered the first shipment of computers and other office equipment to set up a Business Retraining Center in the city of Lida for former officers of the Strategic Rocket Forces. The Center is being established with Nunn-Lugar funds under the $20 million defense conversion agreement of 7/22/93. The Belarusian government will use the office equipment to teach the officers basic business skills in computers and accounting to prepare them for jobs in the civilian sector. Sources: [1]"Weapons of Mass Destruction: Reducing The Threat From The Former Soviet Union: An Update," GAO Report to Congressional Requesters, GAO/NSIAD-95-165, 6/95, p. 32. [2] DOD News Release, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs), No. 134-96, 3/15/94.
