OPCW	Conference of the States Parties
Seventh Session				C-7/DEC.15
7 – 11 October 2002					10 October 2002
Agenda Item 16 Original: ENGLISH
(Unofficial electronic version)

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DECISION

RECOMMENDATION ON ENSURING THE UNIVERSALITY

OF THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION

The Conference of the States Parties,

Recalling its previous recommendations on this subject, adopted by consensus (C-II/DEC.11, dated 5 December 1997, C-III/DEC.9, dated 20 November 1998, C-IV/DEC.22, dated 2 July 1999, C‑V/DEC.21, dated 19 May 2000, and C-VI/DEC.11, dated 17 May 2001), which stressed the crucial importance of universality to all States Parties, especially to states with serious security concerns;

Recalling also resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly which stress the importance of achieving the universality of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction (hereinafter the “Convention”);

Welcoming the fact that, since the adoption of the recommendation on ensuring universality at the Sixth Session of the Conference of the States Parties, four additional states have ratified or acceded to the Convention;

Recognising that the effective universal achievement of the goals of the Convention would require the inclusion, amongst States Parties, of those states whose non-accession to the Convention causes serious concern;

Recognising that, among the common objectives of the Convention, the security assurances stipulated in the Convention and international cooperation in the field of chemical activities for purposes not prohibited under the Convention could facilitate and encourage further adherence to the Convention, thus realising the universality of the Convention;

Recognising that promotion of universal adherence to the Convention could contribute to the global anti-terrorist efforts;

Determined to achieve the full and effective implementation of the Convention;

Reaffirming also the vital and essential importance of universal adherence to the Convention for the realisation of its ultimate goal of a world free of chemical weapons;

Hereby:

1.         Urges all states which have neither ratified nor acceded to the Convention to do so without delay;

2.         Recommends that States Parties and the Director-General continue to make every effort to encourage all states, and in particular those states believed to possess chemical weapons which have neither ratified nor acceded to the Convention, to do so as soon as possible;

3.         Encourages States Parties to promote the achievement of the common objectives of the Convention in order to enhance a cooperative atmosphere which could encourage other countries to join the Convention;

4.         Requests the Director-General to submit a report on the implementation of the present recommendation to the Conference of the States Parties at its Eighth Session; and

5.         Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its Eighth Session an agenda item entitled “Ensuring universality of the Convention”. 

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