1. Participation of delegates in the proceedings of the Seventeenth Session

Delegations of all States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention are entitled to take part in all the proceedings of the Conference, including the adoption of decisions, and to deliver statements.

The delegations of Signatory States are entitled, subject to prior written notification to the Director-General, to participate, without taking part in the adoption of decisions, whether by consensus or by vote, in the deliberations of the Conference. Signatory States are entitled to appoint observers to attend plenary meetings of the Conference other than those designated as private, to deliver statements at these meetings, to receive the documents of the Conference, and to submit their views in writing to other delegations.

Non-Signatory States may apply to the Director-General for observer status, which may be accorded to them by a decision of the Conference. Any such States shall be entitled to appoint an observer to attend and participate without the right to vote in plenary meetings of the Conference other than those designated private meetings and to receive documents of the CSP-17.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) or his representative, and the representatives of the specialised agencies, are entitled to attend and participate without vote in sessions of the Conference on matters of common interest between them and the OPCW, in accordance with their respective relationship agreements or subject to the approval of the Conference.

Representatives of other international organisations are entitled to attend and participate without vote in plenary meetings of the Conference on matters in which they share an interest with the OPCW, in accordance with their respective relationship agreements or subject to the approval of the Conference.

2. Participation of industry and non-governmental organisations

Representatives of industry associations and NGOs that have an interest in the activities of the OPCW and wish to attend the CSP-17 should apply to the Secretariat’s Media and Public Affairs Branch - to be inserted,  before Monday 5 November 2012. Subject to a decision of the Conference, they may be invited to attend plenary meetings.

Before the Conference begins, the Secretariat will post an advisory note for NGOs on the website (www.opcw.org) explaining how to apply to attend the Conference. The note will include a link to the application form. Applications should include a description of those activities of the NGO that are relevant to the purpose of the Convention, and should list the NGO’s sources of funding.

3. List of participants

A draft list of participants will be distributed during the course of the session.

4. Meetings & Journal

The programme of the meetings will be printed in the Conference Journal, which will be issued on a daily basis and will specify conference rooms and times of meetings. Unless otherwise decided by the Conference, morning meetings will commence at 10:00 hours and afternoon meetings, at 15:00 hours. A daily programme of meetings, events, and announcements will be available at the Registration Desk and at the Documentation Counter.

5. Organisation of the Seventeenth Session

The main business of the Seventeenth Session will be conducted in the plenary meetings and, if required, in meetings of the Committee of the Whole in the World Forum Theatre. Separate rooms, without interpretation facilities, will be available for bilateral meetings and meetings of the various regional groups.

Regional coordinators are requested to inform Mr Mechislav Remishevski , Acting Conference Services Officer, whose contact details appear on page 11, of the times and locations of their regional group meetings. These will be listed in the Conference Journal, which will be issued daily during the Seventeenth Session. A map of the WFCC showing the location of the various conference rooms will be provided to each delegation.

6. Seating arrangements

Each year a drawing by lot is held to determine the order of seating for delegations. The delegation of the State Party whose name is thus drawn is seated on the extreme left of the front row in the World Forum Theatre.

Four designated seats, two of which will be at a table, will be provided to the delegation of each State Party. Additional undesignated seats will be available at the rear of the hall.

The delegations of Signatory States, Non-Signatory States, and representatives of intergovernmental and NGOs and specialised agencies will each have two designated seats, one of which will be at a table.

7. Interpretation

Simultaneous interpretation into the six official languages of the OPCW: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish will be provided at plenary meetings and meetings of the Committee of the Whole only.

Delegations may deliver statements in a language other than an official language of the OPCW. In such cases, the delegations concerned will be required, under Rule 88 of the Rules of Procedure of the Conference, to provide interpretation into one of the six official languages, and to give advance notice to Mr Mechislav Remishevski, - TO BE INSERTED Head, Language Services Branch,, so that adequate technical arrangements might be put in place.

8. Statements in the general debate

Requests for inscription on the list of speakers in the general debate should be made in advance, either personally or by e-mail to ContactPMO@opcw.org, indicating the preferred date and time. Speakers will be inscribed on the list on a first-come, first-served basis. Signatory States will be called upon to speak after the last Member State has spoken. Given the large number of delegations wishing to take the floor under this agenda item, a time limit of 5 to 7 minutes per statement should be observed.

To facilitate the interpretation of statements to be delivered during the general debate, delegations should provide 10 copies of each such statement to Mr Mechislav Remishevski, TO BE INSERTED Acting Conference Services Officer, well in advance of delivery, or 250 copies of any statement they also wish to be distributed to other delegations.

In accordance with established practice, statements made during the general debate and provided to the Secretariat, preferably in electronic format, will be compiled and issued as a document of the Conference (please submit to the office of Documents Control during the Conference or by e-mail to ContactPMO@opcw.org, during or immediately following the Conference). At the request of the State Party, these statements will be made available on the OPCW website. Such requests should be sent by e-mail to the Media and Public Affairs Branch at media@opcw.org.

9. Availability of Session documents

One set of Session documents will be provided to each delegation in the World Forum Theatre at the WFCC. Additional copies may be requested in person at the Documentation Counter opposite the World Forum Theatre .

10. Submission of documents

Delegates who are submitting draft decisions, national papers or other documents to the CSP-17 are requested to provide these to Mr  Konstantin Gavrilov, Secretary to the Policy-Making Organs, as early as possible and by e-mail to ContactPMO@opcw.org.

11. Social events

Those wishing to organise receptions or other similar events during the Conference should, for coordination purposes, contact Mr Rutger van den Hoven, TO BE INSERTED Head of Protocol and Visa Branch, Email: rutger.vandenhoven@opcw.org.