Summary

Non-signatory Uzbekistan has never commented on the humanitarian concerns raised by cluster munitions or participated in a meeting of the Convention on Cluster Munitions. It has abstained from voting on the annual United Nations (UN) resolution promoting the convention since it was first introduced in 2015.

Uzbekistan is not known to have used, produced, or exported cluster munitions, though it inherited a stockpile from the Soviet Union.

Policy

The Republic of Uzbekistan has not acceded to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Uzbekistan did not participate in the Oslo Process that created the convention.

It has never attended a meeting of the convention or made a public statement on the humanitarian concerns raised by cluster munitions.

Uzbekistan abstained from the vote on a key United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution in December 2021 that urged states outside the Convention on Cluster Munitions to “join as soon as possible.”[1] Uzbekistan has abstained from voting on the annual UNGA resolution promoting the convention since it was first introduced in 2015.

Uzbekistan is not party to the Mine Ban Treaty. It is a State Party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW).

Use, production, transfer, and stockpiling

Uzbekistan is not known to have used, produced, or exported cluster munitions, but it possesses stocks of cluster munitions inherited after the break-up of the Soviet Union.

According to Jane’s Information Group, Uzbekistan’s air force possesses KMG-U dispensers.[2] Uzbekistan also possesses Grad 122mm and Uragan 220mm surface-to-surface rockets, though it is not known whether these include versions with submunition payloads.[3]

Policy

The Republic of Uzbekistan has not acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty. Uzbekistan has stated that landmines are necessary for national security to prevent the flow of narcotics, arms, and insurgent groups across its borders. Uzbekistan has not attend any international meetings on the Mine Ban Treaty. It has abstained or not participated in the vote on all past pro-ban UN General Assembly resolutions, including Resolution 73/61 on 5 December 2018.[1]

Uzbekistan is party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) and its original Protocol II on landmines, but has not joined CCW Amended Protocol II or CCW Protocol V on explosive remnants of war. Uzbekistan is also not party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Use, production, transfer, and stockpiling

Uzbekistan has stated that it does not produce antipersonnel mines.[2] It is not known to have exported the weapon. It inherited a stockpile of antipersonnel mines from the Soviet Union. The size, composition, and condition of the stockpile are not known. One Ministry of Defense official indicated the stock consisted of OZM-72, PОМZ, and PMN antipersonnel mines, while another said it contains all types of mines that were made in the Soviet Union. The mines are held by both the Ministry of Defense and the Committee on State Border Protection.[3]

Uzbekistan has used antipersonnel mines in the past, including on its borders with Afghanistan in 1998, Kyrgyzstan in 1999, and Tajikistan in 2000.

20-Year Summary

The Republic of Uzbekistan’s forces have laid mines along its borders at various times, including on its borders with Afghanistan in 1998, with Kyrgyzstan in 1999, and with Tajikistan in 2000. In 2010, Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) Ban Ki-moon criticized as “unacceptable” Uzbekistan’s emplacing of mines along parts of its border that have not been delineated.[1]

There is no mine action program in Uzbekistan and no clearance or survey has been reported in the last several years.

Note: SHA = suspected hazardous area.

Contamination and Impact

Soviet troops also laid mines on the Uzbek-Afghan border. Survey on the Tajik side of the border over several years had identified a total of 57 SHAs as of December 2008 (size unknown), which were subsequently deemed to be on Uzbekistan territory. Uzbekistan had reportedly cleared 95% of the minefields along the Tajik border by the end of 2007 in demining operations conducted by Uzbek army deminers in cooperation with Tajik border troops.[2]

The first ever state visit by the president of Uzbekistan to Tajikistan took place in March 2018, and several agreements were signed between the two countries, including one on demarcation of separate regions of the Tajik-Uzbek border. Tajikistan expected decisions to be taken in 2018 regarding clarification and identification of SHAs on the Uzbek border, and any demining operations will require agreement and cooperation between both nations (see Tajikistan’s Mine Action profile for further information).[3]

In 2005, media reports cited Kyrgyz officials in Batken province as saying Kyrgyz border guards had checked previously mined areas of the border around the settlements of Ak-Turpak, Chonkara, and Otukchu, which had been cleared by Uzbek deminers, and confirmed that they were free of contamination.[4]

Mine Action Program

There is no functioning mine action program in Uzbekistan.

Land Release

There are no reports of any land release occurring in 2018 or in recent years.