PC-X/A/WP.5

Preparatory Commission for the	PC-X/A/WP.5
Organisation for the Prohibition	8 March 1995
of Chemical Weapons	Original: ENGLISH

Tenth Session

(3 - 7 April 1995)

FINAL REPORT

ON THE FORMAL CONSULTATIONS ON

OPCW MEDIA AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS POLICY

1. Introduction

1.1 In accordance with the Plan of Activities and Schedule of Meetings annexed to the Report of the Ninth Session of the Commission (PC-IX/11, Annex 2) formal consultations on the OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy were held for a third time in The Hague on 8 March 1995 with the following tasks:

(a) to continue the consideration of an updated version of the Draft OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy; and

(b) to consider modalities for final adoption of the agreed Draft Policy through an appropriate formal mechanism.

1.2 Dr. Radoslav Deyanov of Bulgaria continued as Chairman of the formal consultations.

1.3 The formal consultations approved a provisional agenda. Consideration of the outstanding issues of the Draft OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy was facilitated by the following papers:

(a) an updated version of the Draft OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy dated 8 March 1995, including an Indicative List of Areas in which Information may be Routinely Provided by the OPCW to the News Media and the General Public (Annex 1 of the updated version of the Draft OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy), as well as suggested relevant inclusions (for information purposes only) for the OPCW Staff Regulations (Annex 2 of the updated version of the Draft OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy), and for OPCW Administrative Directives (Annex 3 of the updated version of the Draft OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy), prepared by the Secretariat and the Chairman of the formal consultations, taking into account:

(i) the exchange of views during the second round of the formal consultations on 16 November 1994;

(ii) the suggestions for changes in the text of an updated Draft OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy made in informal contacts between the
Chairman and interested delegations during the current intersessional period;

(b) a Chairman's non-paper dated 8 March 1995 analysing the outstanding issues in the updated Draft OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy and suggesting possible solutions to them;

(d) a Chairman's Memorandum dated 10 January 1995, entitled "Procedural Proposal on Modalities for Final Adoption of an Agreed Draft OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy through an Appropriate Formal Mechanism", which was submitted to the meeting of Working Group A on 27 February 1995 under a cover note from the Secretariat dated 22 February 1995.

2. Actions

2.1 The formal consultations agreed on the Draft OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy, including an Indicative List of Areas where Information may be Routinely Provided by the OPCW to the News Media and the General Public. The Draft OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy and the Indicative List of Areas in which Information may be Routinely Provided by the OPCW to the News Media and the General Public are attached to this Final Report as the Attachment and the Annex respectively. A draft Media and Public Affairs Policy Statement to be made by the Director-General is also contained in the Attachment to this Report.

2.2 The formal consultations noted the necessity for the Secretariat to fully take into account copyright requirements, when applicable, in making available information related to the Annex to the agreed Draft OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy attached to this Report.

2.3 The formal consultations requested the Chairman to present to Working Group A at the Tenth Session of the Commission the Final Report, including the agreed Draft OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy and the draft Media and Public Affairs Policy Statement to be made by the Director-General (subparagraph 2.1 above).

3. Recommendations

The formal consultations recommended that, at the Tenth Session of the Commission, Working Group A:

(a) consider the agreed Draft OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy, including an Indicative List of Areas where Information may be Routinely Provided by the OPCW to the News Media and the General Public (the Attachment and the Annex to this Report respectively), with a view to endorsing and forwarding it to the Commission for provisional approval, pending the adoption of other relevant documents, including the Draft OPCW Policy on Confidentiality;

(b) note the issue referred to in subparagraph 2.2 of this Final Report.

Attachment

Draft Media and Public Affairs Policy Statement by the Director-General

Draft OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Principles and Objectives

3. Responsibilities

4. OPCW Contacts

4.1 Openness

4.2 Headquarters Activities

4.3 Inspection Activities

4.3.1 Inspection Teams

4.3.2 Observer

4.3.3 Inspected State Party

- Annex : Indicative List of Areas in which Information may be Routinely Provided by the OPCW to the News Media and the General Public

Media and Public Affairs Policy

Statement by the Director-General

The operations of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), including verification-related activities, could be facilitated to a large extent by an understanding on the part of the news media and the general public of its requirements and policies.

The OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy will cover the range of relationships of the OPCW with the public, including all public presentations, and contacts with the news and communications media.

The OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy will promote the image of the OPCW as an accessible international organisation which provides balanced information to the media and the general public. The implementation of the OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy will be consistent with the OPCW Policy on Confidentiality.

In my capacity as Director-General, I have the responsibility to ensure that the OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy is implemented at all levels of the Organisation, and that this Policy and related documents, including the OPCW Staff Regulations and Rules, will be reviewed and amended when necessary.

(Name)

Director-General

(Date)

1. Introduction

This document, which sets out the OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy (hereinafter referred to as "the Media Policy") for all OPCW organs, OPCW personnel and their activities, will apply to contacts with the news media or with any individual who is not employed or contracted by the Organisation nor authorised by a State Party in relation to implementation of the Convention. It will cover oral, written, electronic or any other communications.

The implementation of the Media Policy shall be consistent with the OPCW Policy on Confidentiality.

2. Principles and Objectives

To the extent needed to facilitate the achievement of the object and the purpose of the Convention, the implementation of the Media Policy shall assist the news media and the general public in understanding the tasks and the activities of the Organisation. It shall promote the image of the OPCW as an accessible international organisation which provides balanced, timely and objective information. It will not be overly promotional and active, but will avoid being merely reactive.

3. Responsibilities

The Director-General shall be responsible for ensuring that the Media Policy is implemented at all levels of the Organisation. The Director-General shall issue appropriate administrative directives and shall take other necessary measures for the proper implementation of that policy by the OPCW personnel.

4. OPCW Contacts

4.1 Openness

The OPCW will endeavour to be as open and accessible as possible in providing factual information on its activities and shall conduct an effective Public Affairs Programme with respect to the news media and the general public. An indicative list of areas in which information may be routinely provided by the Organisation for these purposes, is set out in the Annex to this Media Policy. Such information shall not be related to a specific State Party or site.

4.2 Headquarters Activities

(a) The Director-General and, under his responsibility and acting in consultation with the relevant units of the OPCW Technical Secretariat {the appropriate unit responsible for administering the OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy}, [1] shall have the authority to handle routinely all dealings of the OPCW Technical Secretariat with the news media and the general public.

(b) The Director-General may release to the news media or the general public information specifically related to a State Party only at the request of or with the express consent of the State Party to which this information refers.

4.3 Inspection Activities

4.3.1 Inspection Teams

(a) The inspection team leader shall be responsible for ensuring strict adherence to the Media Policy by all members of the inspection team, including, when present, qualified experts designated by the Director-General under paragraph 7, Part XI of the Verification Annex. Members of the inspection team shall be fully conversant with the Media Policy and the relevant administrative directives of the Director-General.

(b) Members of the inspection teams shall neither initiate contacts with, nor comment on, any aspect of a specific inspection activity in a State Party for the benefit of the news media or the general public. If required, without prejudice to the provision of paragraph 2(c) (ii) of the Annex on Confidentiality and after prior authorisation by the Director-General, the inspection team leader may make statements to the news media or the general public. Any such statement should be in conformity with standard press guidelines on the general verification and inspection programme, which will be developed by the Organisation. The inspected State Party shall be consulted, prior to contact with the news media, on the advisability of establishing such contacts and of making such statements.

4.3.2 Observer

(a) The Observer is expected to adhere to and be bound by the same provisions of the Media Policy as they apply to members of the inspection team and is not expected to take any independent action in this regard.

(b) The requesting State Party shall be fully responsible for and shall take all necessary measures to ensure compliance of the Observer with the relevant provisions of the Media Policy.

4.3.3 Inspected State Party

(a) The inspected State Party shall ensure that the inspection team is not subjected to attention from the news media of a type which could impair the inspection team activities during the In-Country Period.

(b) When the inspected State Party considers it desirable, for a better public understanding of the background to the verification activities, to arrange contacts with the news media with the participation of the inspection team leader, the Representative of the inspected State Party and the inspection team leader will consult, prior to contact with the news media, in accordance with the provisions of subparagraph 4.3.1(b) of this Attachment.

Annex

Indicative List of Areas in which Information may be Routinely Provided by the OPCW to the News Media and the General Public

1. General information on:

(a) OPCW structure, offices, budget, technical support and staffing policy and patterns;

(b) activities of the OPCW, including its cooperation with States Parties;

(d) contacts with scientific and research institutions and support received from other institutions for the purpose of the Convention;

(e) chemical industries, promotion of trade in chemicals and related equipment, and scientific and technological developments in the chemical field;

(f) national bodies concerned with the implementation of the Convention, including National Authorities, chemical industry associations etc.;

(g) progress towards the destruction of chemical weapons, old chemical weapons and abandoned chemical weapons; and

(h) verification activities, including technology and methodology applied in on-site inspections.

2. Other materials based on:

(a) the contents of the Convention and its implementation procedures, e.g. declaration forms, model agreements and inspection procedures;

(b) non-confidential reports or parts of reports of the Organisation on the implementation of the Convention, as envisaged in Article VIII (paragraph 38(b)), taking into account possible decisions of the Conference, the Executive Council or the Director General not to make such reports or certain parts of them public; and

(c) publicly-available materials provided by States Parties concerning their respective policies having a bearing on the implementation of the Convention.

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1 The brackets {} indicate that the bracketed text will be replaced by the name of the respective OPCW Technical Secretariat (TS) unit after a decision is taken on the final TS structure.