There are strong indications that during the crisis in Kosovo, the Serbian army laid landmines so extensively that the safe return of refugees in internally displaced persons (IDPs), as well as the provision of humanitarian assistance, will be hindered. In response to this threat to the security of refugees, IDPs, aid workers, and KFOR personnel, the State Department has initiated a plan to conduct humanitarian mine clearance operations in Kosovo. On June 11, 1999, the Department modified an existing contract with RONCO Consulting Corporation, an experienced mine detection and clearance firm, to clear mines and unexploded ordnance in Kosovo. The contract will provide emergency demining assistance for four months at a total cost of approximately $1.6 million. The Office of Humanitarian Demining Programs in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs (PM/HDP) will administer the contract.

The supplemental appropriation to the Department's Support for Eastern European Democracy (SEED) account is providing funds to support this initiative. The contract will support mine clearance operations for the remainder of the "demining season" in Kosovo; demining cannot be performed during winter weather in Kosovo. Conditions normally conducive to mine clearance operations exist for only nine months of the year (February through October).

The contract requires the introduction of a demining force that will consist of six fully trained and equipped mine clearance teams, supported by mine detection dogs and their handlers (approximately 75 deminers, medics, handlers, guards and support personnel, and 12 dogs). Each team will consist of a team leader, six deminers, a medic, two dog handlers and two dogs. This force will be drawn from a ready pool of personnel now in Bosnia and Croatia and previously trained by qualified instructors from the United States Special Forces and other donor nations. The Department expects that the demining force will be ready to commence humanitarian demining operations as soon as KFOR completes its assessment of the landmine threat and conducts initial countermine measures.

The Department will provide two experts to monitor the performance of the contractor and to coordinate all U.S.-funded humanitarian mine action activities with the United Nations Mine Action Coordination Center that will be established in Kosovo.