Tenth Session

(3 - 7 April 1995)

STATEMENT BY ASIAN GROUP TO THE TENTH PLENARY SESSION

1.         On behalf of the Asian Group, I would like to welcome your assumption of the Chair of the Preparatory Commission and pledge to your our complete cooperation in its deliberations.  We also welcome your Report which would be extremely valuable in the future work of this Commission and would receive the careful consideration of the Asian Group.  We would further like to convey our appreciation of the work done by the Executive Secretary and his staff during the intersessional period concluded by this Session as well as of the Report presented by him on the intersessional period.

2.         The Asian Group would like to express its serious concern over the tragic incident and the brutal attack in Tokyo on March 20, involving "chemical terrorism" in which use of sarin was suspected.  The Asian Group expresses its deep sympathy to the victims and condemns the use of toxic chemicals in this tragedy.

3.         On behalf of the Asian Group I would also like to make the following statement on substantive issues:  The Asian Group believes that the implementation of CWC thereby, complementing the obligations assumed under the Geneva Protocol of 1925, is the only way to exclude the possibility of the use of chemical weapons.  Therefore, after EIF, continuation of any other arrangement that is discriminatory, not universally agreed to or applicable and that seeks to implement measures other than agreed in the Convention would shift the focus away from this Convention.  Misplacing our trust in any other parallel regime would greatly undermine the confidence that needs to be placed in this Convention.  This would hamper international cooperation and exchange of scientific and technical information in the field of chemical activities for purposes not prohibited under the Convention and for enhancing the economic and technological development of all States Parties.  In short, the non-discriminatory nature of the Convention would be greatly undermined if other parallel regimes are allowed to exist.

4.         The work of the Commission has come a long way since the Convention was opened for signatures in early 1993, even though at a pace slower than was envisaged at that time.  The Asian Group has repeatedly placed its common concerns before the Preparatory Commission in the belief that common understandings and agreements needed for implementation can only be achieved to the satisfaction of all Member States by frank and open discussion.  The Asian Group would like to reiterate those concerns besides a few others which have arisen during the course of the intersessional activities just concluded:

(a)        The composition of the PTS and, ultimately, the Technical Secretariat should properly reflect the membership of the Organisation.  While urging greater transparency in the recruitment process, it welcomes the steps taken by the Executive Secretary in this direction.

(b)        Common understandings and agreements on the work of the Commission can only be achieved on the basis of the text of the Convention.  Expansion of the scope of definitions beyond the text or the implications that can be directly derived from it would be detrimental to the uniform implementation of the Convention.

(c)        After EIF States Parties must discontinue the application of any measures that may create any discriminatory situations vis-a-vis other States Parties.

(d)        The Group regrets the lack of report on the meeting of the Expert Group on Challenge Inspections.  It feels that it is necessary that the criteria for the determination of abuse are established and that the request for a Challenge Inspection is based on clearly defined concerns to avoid frivolous requests.

(e)        Means of compensation to States Parties in case of breach of confidentiality by OPCW personnel or observers in inspections resulting in pecuniary loss to any entity of the concerned State Party should be established.

(f)        The approved equipment for inspection use should be freely available to all States Parties.

5.         The Group hopes that concerned efforts will be made to resolve all outstanding issues.  Fur uniform application of all provisions of the Convention, it is necessary to reach common understandings, especially on the provisions that are liable to different interpretation.  Uniformity and non-discrimination will be the key to success of the Convention and the Asian Group will continue its efforts in attaining this goal.

6.         The delegations of Japan and Republic of Korea expressed their reservations on the above statement of the Asian Group on substantive issues.

7.         The Asian Group requests to have this statement distributed as an official document of the Tenth Session of the Commission.

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