Preparatory Commission for the

PC-X/13

Organisation for the Prohibition

4 April 1995

of Chemical Weapons

Original:  ENGLISH
   

Tenth Session

(3 - 7 April 1995)

NOTE BY THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

PROPOSED PRIORITISING OF ISSUES DURING THE FORTHCOMING INTERSESSIONAL PERIOD

The attached paper was prepared by the Secretariat in response to requests made by Member States during the informal meetings of Working Groups A and B held on 27 February 1995.  The paper is in two sections.

The first section outlines the major issues in the Commission's work which, from the Secretariat's perspective, if not resolved during the next intersessional period, will impact on the timely and effective conduct of activities - in particular the General Training Scheme for inspectors and inspection assistants - necessary for the smooth implementation of the Convention after entry into force.

The second section outlines for the benefit of delegations the tasks identified in the Paris Resolution that have not yet been completed.

I.          Major Issues

1.         From the Secretariat's perspective, the range of issues related to the completion of the following generic tasks must be resolved during the next intersessional period within the appropriate Expert Groups or the Committee on Relations with the Host Country if the Secretariat is to prepare adequately for the trigger point:

(a)        issues related to the development of the Declaration Handbook, including all unresolved issues in regard to the CW and industrial facilities, and in particular low concentrations and definition of DOCs;

(b)        issues related to the development of the Inspection Manual, in particular, unresolved questions on inspection procedures, the criteria for the evaluation of the risk of particular facilities to the object and purpose of the Convention, inspection mandate and inspection report formats;

(c)        model agreements for CW-related, Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 facilities;

(d)        issues related to the definition, inspection and conversion of CW production facilities, as well as remaining unresolved issues in relation to CW destruction and storage facilities;

(e)        old and abandoned chemical weapons;

(f)        the Information Management System;

(g)        OPCW Staff Policy as expressed in the Staff Regulations and Rules, in particular, the questions of tenure and renewability of contracts; salaries and emoluments; and social security benefits;

 (h)       OPCW building:  conclusion of the negotiations of the draft Preliminary Tenancy Agreement in accordance with the guidelines to be provided by the Commission at its Tenth Session;  selection of the cost and quality control consultant for the construction phase; conclusion of arrangements for conference facilities for the first session of the Conference of the States Parties; conclusion of negotiations for additional car-parking facilities;

(i)         provision of interim accommodation for the OPCW which will be adequate until the OPCW building is ready for occupancy; and

(j)         transitional arrangements to move from the Preparatory Commission to the OPCW;

(k)        issues related to the implementation of Article XI.

2.         In addition, as a matter of priority, the Secretariat should focus its efforts on finalising:

(a)        issues related to the conduct of training, in particular closing the remaining "gaps" in the current national offers for Module 2 and Module 3 training courses; and

(b)        the OPCW Health and Safety Regulations.

II.        The Paris Resolution

3.         The following specific tasks identified in the Paris Resolution, which in some instances  form part of the above-mentioned generic tasks, still await finalisation as a matter of priority:

(a)        guidelines on detailed procedures for verification and for the conduct of inspections, in accordance with Part II, paragraph 42 of the Verification Annex;

(b)        lists of items to be stockpiled for emergency and humanitarian assistance in accordance with Article VIII, paragraph 39 (b);

(c)        procedures for the provision of information by States Parties on their programmes related to protective purposes, in accordance with Article X, paragraph 4;

(d)        the list of approved equipment, in accordance with Part II, paragraph 27 of the Verification Annex;

(e)        procedures concerning the implementation of safety requirements for activities of inspectors and inspection assistants, in accordance with Part II, paragraph 43 of the Verification Annex;

(f)        procedures for inclusion in the Inspection Manual concerning the security, integrity and preservation of samples and for ensuring the protection of the confidentiality of samples transferred for analysis off-site, in accordance with Part II, paragraph 56 of the Verification Annex;

(g)        models for facility agreements, in accordance with Part III, paragraph 8 of the Verification Annex;

(h)        recommendations for guidelines for transitional verification arrangements, in accordance with Part IV(A), paragraph 51 of the Verification Annex;

(i)         guidelines to determine the usability of chemical weapons produced between 1925 and 1946, in accordance with Part IV(B), paragraph 5 of the Verification Annex;

(j)         guidelines for determining the frequency of systematic on-site inspections of chemical weapons production facilities, in accordance with Part V, paragraph 54 of the Verification Annex;

(k)        models for facility agreements covering detailed inspection procedures, in accordance with Part VI, paragraph 27 of the Verification Annex;

(l)         guidelines to assess the risk to the object and purpose of the Convention posed by the relevant chemicals, the characteristics of the single small-scale facility and the nature of the activities carried out there, in accordance with Part VI, paragraph 23 of the Verification Annex;

(m)       guidelines to assess the risk to the object and purpose of the Convention posed by the quantities of chemicals produced, the characteristics of the facility and the nature of the activities carried out there, in accordance with Part VI, paragraph 30 of the Verification Annex;

(n)        guidelines for provisions regarding scheduled chemicals in low concentrations, including in mixtures, in accordance with Part VII, paragraph 5, and Part VIII, paragraph 5 of the Verification Annex;

(o)        preparation of programme of work and budget of the first year of activities of the Organisation;

(p)        preparation of administrative and financial regulations;

(q)        preparation of detailed budgetary provisions for the Organisation taking into account that the budget shall comprise two separate chapters, one relating to administrative and other costs, and one relating to verification costs;

(r)        arrangements for the first session of the Conference of States Parties, including the preparation of a draft agenda and draft rules of procedure; and

(s)        preparation of the scale of financial contributions to  the Organisation.

4.         It is equally important to recognise that the following tasks identified in the Paris Resolution have not yet been discussed or tasked, and should also therefore be addressed as a matter of priority:

(a)        appropriate detailed procedures to implement paragraphs 11 and 12 of Part III of the Verification Annex;

(b)        criteria for toxicity, corrosiveness and, if applicable, other technical factors (paragraph 71 (b) of Part V of the Verification Annex);

(c)        agreements between the Organisation and the States Parties in accordance with Article VIII, paragraph 50;

(d)        development of arrangements to facilitate the election of 20 members for a term of one year for the first election of the Executive Council;

(e)        preparation of a final report on all matters within the Commission's mandate for the first session of the Conference of States Parties and the first meeting of the Executive Council;

(f)        elaboration of a detailed staffing pattern of the Technical Secretariat, including decision-making flow charts; and

(g)        preparation of recommendations for the transfer of the property, functions and recommendations of the Commission to the Organisation at the first session of the Conference of  the States Parties.

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