The Hague, 26 November 2002

U. S. Congressional Visit to the OPCW

On 20 and 21 November 2002, the Chairman of the United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on National Security, Veterans Affairs, and International Relations, U.S. Representative Christopher Shays, and staff members visited the headquarters of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague.

The mandate of the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on National Security, Veterans Affairs, and International Relations includes the oversight of the United States Government’s treaty compliance, as well as to oversee those departments and agencies managing programs and activities related to combating terrorism, including the Department of Defense, Department of State, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and others involved in national security.

Representative Shays received briefings on the status of the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (the “Convention”), the status of the destruction of declared chemical weapons and the Organisation’s activities to monitor both the transfers of chemicals and to ensure non-proliferation. The emerging threat of chemical terrorism was also discussed.

Within the context of the OPCW Executive Council’s deliberations, a number of capabilities have been identified in which a useful contribution to the struggle against international terrorism can be made: to achieve the universality of the Convention, thereby extending the chemical weapons ban to include all states; to facilitate the adoption of national legislation by all States Parties to the Convention, thus guaranteeing that any prohibited use of chemicals will result in prosecution and severe penalties; strengthen the ability of National Authorities to implement the Convention’s provisions regarding inspections, as well as the declaration of chemical weapons, chemical industry activity, and chemical transfers; and, in addition, to provide assistance and protection to any requesting State Party should chemical weapons be used, or should their use be threatened.

U.S. Representative Shays noted that the Subcommittee had been concentrating upon the threats arising from the terrorist use of weapons of mass destruction, stating, “ A tremendous amount of chemical weapons has been declared to this Organisation and is awaiting destruction. The OPCW verifies this destruction, and monitors the production and transfer of dual-use chemicals. By implementing this Convention, the Organisation plays a crucial role in eliminating these weapons of mass destruction.”

In his meeting with U.S. Representative Shays, OPCW Director-General, Rogelio Pfirter, emphasized the importance of the full support of Member States at a time when the OPCW’s verification activities are bound to increase significantly.