The Hague, 16 July 2002
Number 50
 
Press Release

Executive Council Recommends H.E. Ambassador Rogelio Pfirter Be Appointed As The Director-General Of The Technical Secretariat Of The OPCW


The Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) held its Nineteenth Meeting on 16 July 2002 in The Hague. H.E. Ambassador Lionel Fernando, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the OPCW, chaired the meeting.

During this meeting, the Executive Council decided, by acclamation, to recommend to the Conference of the States Parties, that H.E. Ambassador Rogelio Pfirter from Argentina be appointed the Director-General of the Technical Secretariat of the OPCW for a term of four years. Ambassador Pfirter, a lawyer and a career diplomat, is at present the Under-Secretary for Foreign Policy in the Ministry of External Relations, International Trade and Worship, Argentina.

The First Special Session of the Conference of the States Parties will reconvene on 25 July 2002 to consider and to take a decision on the recommendation of the Executive Council to appoint Ambassador Rogelio Pfirter as the Director-General of the Technical Secretariat of the OPCW.


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.

For further information, please contact the Media and Public Affairs Branch at: +31 70 416-3300,

or e-mail to: media@opcw.org

Media and Public Affairs Branch
OPCW Technical Secretariat, Johan de Wittlaan 32, 2517 JR The Hague, The Netherlands

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