The Hague, 30 March 2000
Number 11
 
Press Release

King Of The Belgians Visits OPCW
Addresses OPCW Executive Council in "Ieper Room"

The Hague, The Netherlands April 5, 2000

H.M. King Albert II, the King of the Belgians, made an official visit to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on Wednesday (5 April 2000).

The King was met by the Director- General of the OPCW, Mr. Jose M. Bustani, who briefed His Majesty on the work of the OPCW and the status of implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention.

His Majesty was given a tour of the OPCW Operations Centre and shown the equipment used by the Organisation's inspectors in their work of monitoring the destruction of chemical weapons (CW) and CW production facilities.

During the visit King Albert addressed a meeting of the OPCW Executive Council, the first Head of State to make such an address since the Organisation began its work in 1997. His Majesty spoke in "The Ieper Room", named after the town in Belgium which saw the first large-scale use of Chemical Weapons during the 1st World War.

OPCW Director General Jose Bustani said:
"It was a great honour to have the King of the Belgians visit the OPCW, all the more so because this was a visit of great symbolic importance. His Majesty spoke of the scars left on his country by chemical weapons and we attach great significance to his pledge of Belgium's support for our efforts to rid the world of these weapons of mass destruction".

Note to Editors: Chemical Weapons were first used on a large scale on 22 April 1915 near the Belgian town of Ieper (also known as Ypres).


The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) came into existence on 29 April 1997. Its deed of foundation—the Chemical Weapons Convention—aims to achieve four principal objectives: the elimination of chemical weapons and of the capacity to develop them, the verification of non-proliferation, international assistance and protection in the event of the use or threat of use of chemical weapons, and international cooperation and assistance in the peaceful use of chemistry.

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