Document number: PC-XIII/B/6
Document date: 21 March 1996
Original: ENGLISH
Corrigenda () have been inserted at the relevant places!
Thirteenth Session (18 - 22 March 1996)
1. Introduction
1.1 Working Group B on Verification and Technical Cooperation and Assistance, under the chairmanship of Dr. Radoslav Deyanov of Bulgaria, held 5 meetings on 19, 20 and 21 March 1996.
1.2 Working Group B adopted its agenda as contained in PC-XIII/B/5.
2. Safety Procedures
2.1 Working Group B received the Eighth Report of the Expert Group on Safety Procedures (PC-XIII/B/WP.2). The Report was presented by Mr. William Spalding of the United States of America, the Acting Chairman of the Expert Group.
2.2 Working Group B considered the Draft OPCW Health and Safety Regulations annexed to PC-XIII/B/WP.2, took note of the understanding recorded in paragraph 3.2 of PC-XIII/B/WP.2, recommended that these Regulations be adopted by the Commission, and further recommended that they be adopted and applied, mutatis mutandis, as the Health and Safety Regulations of the Preparatory Commission.
3. Technical Cooperation and Assistance
3.1 Working Group B received the Tenth Report of the Expert Group on Technical Cooperation and Assistance (PC-XIII/B/WP.3). The Report was presented by Mr. Sarvajit Chakravarti of India, the Chairman of the Expert Group.
3.2 Working Group B:
(b) requested the Commission to authorise the Secretariat to make the Website permanent; and
(c) proposed that the Commission request the Secretariat to establish an experimental information service for the duration of 1996 to facilitate information exchange in relation to Article XI as outlined in subparagraphs 3.2 - 3.4 of PC-XIII/B/WP.3.
4. Challenge Inspection
4.1 Working Group B received the Sixth Report of the Expert Group on Challenge Inspection (PC-XIII/B/WP.4). The Report was presented by Mr. Ian Mundell of Canada in his capacity as Friend of the Chair, on behalf of the Chairman of the Expert Group, Mr. Andrea Perugini of Italy.
4.2 Working Group B:
(a) noted PC-XIII/B/WP.4; and
(b) considered, approved, and forwarded to the Commission for adoption the Annex to PC-XIII/B/WP.4 entitled "Illustrative List of Objective Indicators to Facilitate the Executive Council in Addressing Any Concern, in Accordance with Paragraph 22 of Article IX, Whether the Right to Request a Challenge Inspection has been Abused".
5. Inspection Procedures
5.1 Working Group B received the Eleventh Report of the Expert Group on Inspection Procedures (PC-XIII/B/WP.5). The Report was presented by Mr. Sergei Kisselev of the Russian Federation, the Chairman of the Expert Group.
5.2 Working Group B approved and forwarded to the Commission for adoption the "Criteria for the Conduct of OPCW/PTS Proficiency Testing" (Annex 2 to PC-XIII/B/WP.5).
5.3 Working Group B noted:
(a) the "Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Evaluation of Results of OPCW/PTS Proficiency Tests" (Annex 1 to PC-XIII/B/WP.5, including the attached Appendix);
(b) the results of the evaluation of the NMR and MS spectra (Annex 3 to PC-XIII/B/WP.5);
(c) the operational requirements and technical specifications of the inspection equipment item Team Decontamination Kit as included at Annex 4 to PC-XIII/B/WP.5;
(d) the operational requirements and technical specifications of the inspection equipment item Alleged Use Sample Collection Kit (Biomedical Module) (Annex 5 to PC-XIII/B/WP.5) on the understanding contained in subparagraph 5.1(c) of the same Report;
(e) the contents of paragraph 9 of PC-XIII/B/WP.5;
(f) the decision of the Group recorded in paragraph 11 of PC-XIII/B/WP.5; and
(g) the general understanding recorded in subparagraph 12.2 of PC-XIII/B/WP.5.
6. Chemical Industry Issues
6.1 Working Group B received the Tenth Report of the Expert Group on Chemical Industry Issues (PC-XIII/B/WP.6). The Report was presented by Dr. Heinrich Wilhelm Beuth of Germany, the Chairman of the Expert Group.
6.2 Working Group B considered and welcomed the indications of progress recorded in PC-XIII/B/WP.6, and recommended that the Commission allocate enough time for the Expert Group on Chemical Industry Issues to finalise its work on the model agreements for Schedule 1 facilities and for Schedule 2 plant sites, on the low concentration guidelines, the aggregate national data, and on Sections A, B, and C of the Declaration Handbook taking into account subparagraph 2.5 of PC-XIII/B/WP.6, and to come to speedy conclusions on the other outstanding issues.
7. Chemical Weapons Issues
Working Group B received the notes dated 29 February on the meetings and consultations of the Expert Group on Chemical Weapons Issues held from 18 - 19 January. These notes were presented by Dr. Radoslav Deyanov of Bulgaria, who had served as Acting Chairman of the Expert Group. Working Group B also received an oral report by Dr. Graham Cooper, Friend of the Chair on CWPFs, on progress in the informal consideration of the issue of levelling out.
8. Old and Abandoned Chemical Weapons
Working Group B received the notes dated 18 March 1996 of the meeting of the Expert Group on Old and Abandoned Chemical Weapons held on 17 January 1996. These notes were presented by Dr. Peter Krejsa of Austria, the Chairman of the Expert Group.
9. Meeting and consultations under the purview of Working Group B
Working Group B received the notes dated 18 March 1996 by the Chairman of Working Group B on the meeting and consultations of that Working Group held between the Twelfth and the Thirteenth Sessions of the Commission.
10. Proposed plan of activities for meetings under Working Group B for the period March - July 1996
Working Group B amended and approved the plan of activities and the listing of documents for meetings under the purview of Working Group B as contained in the "Draft Plan of Activities of the Expert Groups and Task Forces under Working Groups A and B and of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country for the Period March - July 1996" (Annex to PC-XIII/CRP.2/Rev.1), and referred the amended plan of activities and listing of documents to the Commission for approval.
11. Conclusion of meeting
The Report of Working Group B was adopted, and the meeting concluded at 18:40 on 21 March 1996.