Document number: PC-XIII/B/WP.3
Document date: 9 February 1996
Original: ENGLISH
Corrigenda () have been inserted at the relevant places!
Thirteenth Session (18 - 22 March 1996)
1. Introduction
1.1 In accordance with the Plan of Activities and Schedule of Meetings annexed to the Report of the Twelfth Session of the Commission (PC-XII/17), the Expert Group on Technical Cooperation and Assistance held its eleventh meeting in The Hague on 9 February 1996 to continue its consideration of outstanding issues relating to Articles X and XI.
1.2 Mr. Sarvajit Chakravarti of India continued as Chairman of the Group.
1.3 The Chairman had distributed draft papers on some of the relevant issues to serve as a basis for the deliberations in the Group. The papers included the following background papers by the Secretariat: "Guidelines for the Secretariat's Internet Website", and "Evaluation of the End-User Survey of Information Requirements to Facilitate Information Exchange in Relation to Article XI". The meeting was also facilitated by hard copy of a Webpage, distributed by the delegation of India. Copies of the background papers and of the sample Webpage are available from the Secretariat, on request. 1
2. Guidelines for the Secretariat Internet Website
2.1 The Group discussed and modified a proposal by the Secretariat for guidelines for the Secretariat Internet Website. The Guidelines approved by the Group are contained in the Annex to this Report.
2.2 The Group concluded that the utility of the Website had been demonstrated.
3. Evaluation of the end-user survey
3.1 The Group had an exchange of views on the result of the end-user survey of information requirements to facilitate information exchange in relation to Article XI.
3.2 The Group concluded that it would be worthwhile to begin, on an experimental basis for the duration of 1996, an information service (library) as outlined in subparagraph 4.10 of the Annex to PC-XI/A/WP.5. The information service would cover fields such as "Dangerous properties of chemicals", "Producers and suppliers of chemicals", and "Producers and suppliers of technology and/or equipment for the production, processing and handling of chemicals".
3.3 The information service should be within resources as specified in subparagraphs 4.10 and 7.6.5(b) of the Annex to PC-XI/A/WP.5. The costs of the experimental information service should not exceed Dfl. 80,000, and may not include any financial commitments beyond the end of 1996. The manpower requirement is estimated to be less than six person-months. An evaluation of the utility of the service should take place not later than the end of 1996.
3.4 The information should be drawn from commercial and other publicly available data sources, subject to copyright regulations. Requests for information should be sent directly to the Secretariat, whenever possible. Responses to requests could be either information on the subject available to the Secretariat or referral to an outside information source.
4. Recommendations
The Group recommended that Working Group B:
(b) consider requesting the Commission at its Thirteenth Session to authorise the Secretariat to make the Website permanent;
(c) propose that the Commission at its Thirteenth Session 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 above; and
(d) mandate the Expert Group on Technical Cooperation and Assistance to continue its deliberations on outstanding issues relating to Articles X and XI.
1. Objectives of the Website
The objectives of the Secretariat Internet Website are:
(b) to act as a source of readily available information on the Chemical Weapons Convention and the work of the Preparatory Commission for mass media, international organisations and institutions in this or related fields, and for the general public. The Website should also help to strengthen the public's awareness of the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Commission, and should act as an important tool for the Commission's outreach and recruitment activities.
2.1 The selection of material to be included shall be strictly in accordance with the Draft OPCW Policy on Confidentiality and the Draft OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy. Thus the selection of material shall follow the "Indicative List of Areas Where Information may be Routinely Provided by the OPCW to the News Media and the General Public", as annexed to the Attachment to the Draft OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy. No confidential information shall be placed on the Website.
2.2 The Website may contain links, inter alia, to national websites of Member States.
2.3 The Executive Secretary will keep in close consultation with Member States regarding the types of material that would be of greatest utility to Member States.
2.4 Documents prepared by the Secretariat for dissemination of information to the general public, such as press releases and information notes, will be included in the Website simultaneously with the release of the hard copy versions.
2.5 Documents in the official series may be made available as follows. Documents prepared by the Secretariat may, at the discretion of the Executive Secretary, be included in the Website either when they are issued or after the next Session of the Commission. These documents may be included either as full documents or only as titles. Documents submitted by Member States for issuance in the official series may be included if requested by the submitting Member State(s). Documents prepared by Expert Groups and similar bodies may be included after their approval by the Commission.
3. Review of the Website material
3.1 The Executive Secretary has responsibility and authority for reviewing the Website material. This authority will normally be delegated.
3.2 The Executive Secretary may establish a Website Review Group which could include one specialist on each of the Draft OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy and the Draft OPCW Policy on Confidentiality, together with the person responsible for the maintenance of the Website.
3.3 The Executive Secretary will report periodically to the Commission on the status of the Website and its material.