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WASHINGTON, March 17 (KUNA) -- The State Department announced on Tuesday
it has opened a Palestinian security forces training center in Jericho.
"U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law
Enforcement Affairs (INL) David Johnson and Palestinian Authority Prime
Minister Salam Fayyad formally opened the Presidential Guard Training Center
in Jericho," said a statement released by the State Department.
The training center was built with USD 10.1 million of State Department
assistance and completed by Palestinian contractors over the course of the
past 16 months,
"US Assistant Secretary of State Johnson praised the work of the
Presidential Guard and the Palestinian Authority in developing a well-trained,
professional force to advance the rule of law, which is of fundamental
importance to Palestinians," noted the statement.
The center has a training capacity of 700 officers and enlisted men,
including accommodations and dining facilities, waste water treatment, parade
grounds, classrooms, and an obstacle course and the construction was overseen
by the United Nations Office for Project Services. (end)
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