The Hague, 20 April 2000

Decision welcomed by OPCW as move towards stability in the Balkans

The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia informed the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons Thursday (20 April 2000), that it has acceded to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) by depositing its 'Instrument of Accession' with the UN Secretary General.

The announcement means that now the whole of Europe (and 134 nations world-wide) has renounced the production, stockpiling or use of chemical weapons. The CWC also provides for the destruction of weapon stockpiles and production facilities by the year 2007.

Under the terms of the CWC, the Convention will 'enter into force' for the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) 30 days after today's accession, on 20 May 2000, at which point the FRY also becomes a member state of the OPCW.

The Convention provides that any acceding state then has a further 30 days in which to make a detailed declaration to the OPCW of any chemical weapons or production facilities it might have on its territory, as well as any industrial plants producing 'dual-use'* chemicals.

All relevant facilities must then be opened for inspection by the OPCW.

Welcoming the Yugoslav decision, the Director-General of the OPCW, Jose M. Bustani said:
"This is excellent news, not only for the OPCW, but particularly for the peoples of South East Europe. Our member states in the region have joined with us in urging the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to join the Chemical Weapons Convention as a significant and necessary step in the process of enhancing stability and security to the Balkans and this welcome decision means all the regional states have now rejected one of the most lethal weapons of mass destruction."

* NOTE TO EDITORS: 'Dual-use'chemicals are those which are normally produced for peaceful purposes (such as insecticides or cleaning agents) but which can also be potentially used as the ingredients of a chemical weapon.