The Hague, 15 February 2002

The Czech Republic, Oman and Turkey have paid in full their annual assessed contributions to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

Just over one-third of the Organisation’s Member States have paid their contributions in full. However, the total sum of the fully-paid contributions, provided by 51 Member States, equals only 22.2% of the total assessed contributions, which were due to the Organisation at the beginning of 2002. An additional 20 States Parties have made partial payments of their 2002 assessment, totalling 17.2% of the total assessed contribution for 2002. In accordance with the Organisation’s financial regulations, Member States are obliged to pay their full contributions to the OPCW’s budget by 1 January of each year.

Annual contributions to the OPCW by each Member State are calculated primarily on the basis of the United Nations scale of assessment, which is adjusted to match the composition of the OPCW’s membership.

The timely payment by Member States of their annual contributions is essential for the effective functioning of the OPCW, which is tasked with implementing the Chemical Weapons Convention.

OPCW Director-General, Mr José M. Bustani, expressed his appreciation to The Czech Republic, Oman and Turkey and the other 48 Members for having paid their assessed contribution for 2002 in full and urged the remaining 94 Member States to follow suit as soon as possible.

The OPCW now has 145 Member States. Since the Convention entered into force, the OPCW has carried out more than 1,100 inspections of civilian and military facilities in 49 States Parties.

The following 51 Member States of the OPCW have paid in full their assessed contributions to the Organisation’s budget for the current financial year.