PMG in final stages

By Simon Moore and Bronya Cranswick
OPERATIONS of the multinational Bougainville Peace Monitoring Group (PMG) are entering the final phase.

The international contingent that makes up the PMG will cease operations in Bougainville on June 30. The withdrawal of members on Op Bel Isi is expected to be completed by August.

The weapons disposal processes are well advanced. More than 92 per cent of the weapons identified by the UN for containment are now at Stage 2 of the three-stage weapons disposal program.

Stage 2 involves the containment of weapons in special shipping containers fitted with UN seals.

The UN has made the decision to begin a process of verifying that all areas of Bougainville have completed Stage 2, and the verification process has begun in those provinces of Bougainville that have reached 100 per cent of weapons containment.

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