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Arms control

With the end of the Cold War, huge amounts of various types of weapons from the former Eastern Bloc arsenals became available on the market. At the same time, a number of armed conflicts broke out in the OSCE area that required urgent action to stop the violence.

All this gave new impetus to the development of measures aimed at preventing the uncontrolled spread of arms. The Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC), which is the main OSCE body dealing with politico-military aspects of security, contributes to these efforts by developing documents regulating transfers of conventional arms and establishing principles governing non-proliferation.

Due to its legal status, the OSCE does not deal with arms control issues directly. However, it is currently involved in various politico-military activities ranging from confidence- and security-building measures (CSBMs) aimed at fostering trust among member states to projects providing assistance on the destruction of small arms and light weapons, including shoulder-fired missiles (known as MANPADS), as well as conventional ammunition.

While the FSC in Vienna provides a forum for political dialogue for diplomats from OSCE states, most of the practical work, including training and assistance in the safeguarding and destruction of ammunition and stockpiles of small arms, is conducted through the Conflict Prevention Centre (CPC) at OSCE headquarters and OSCE field operations in such countries as Moldova, Georgia and Tajikistan.

OSCE Institutions and related bodies active in arms control:

Features

OSCE helps Georgia dispose of obsolete munitions

OSCE military expert Lt. Col. Zbigniew Fec (right) explains to visitors the manual procedure of dismantling old shells at Dedoplitskaro military base. (OSCE/Miloslav Rokosi)

The OSCE has been working with Georgia's national Government to dispose of dangerous surpluses of old military equipment left in the country after the breakup of the Soviet Union.
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Countering the threat of excess small arms and ammunition in Tajikistan

The OSCE is helping Tajikistan, secure and destroy large stockpiles of small arms and ammunition. Here, large containers illustrate the number of surplus weapons that are being rendered ineffective, 26 September 2006. (OSCE)

With help from the OSCE, Tajikistan and other participating States are addressing the human, environmental and security threat posed by surplus small arms and ammunition.
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Rocket fuel disposal: confronting a critical environmental security risk

Experts inspect melange storage containers in the former USSR. (OSCE)

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, large amounts of rocket fuel were left on the territories of the former republics. The OSCE is helping to address the security and environmental threat posed by the toxic chemicals and their ageing storage tanks.
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Experts from the agency DELTA take out the ballistic propellant from shells at Dedoplitskaro military base, in Georgia. (OSCE/Miloslav Rokos)

Experts from the agency DELTA take out the ballistic propellant from shells at Dedoplitskaro military base, in Georgia. (OSCE/Miloslav Rokos)