The Hague, 20 October 2003

Chemical Weapons Ban Conference Opens

The Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force on 29 April 1997. The Convention's implementing agency, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), aims to achieve four principal objectives: the elimination of chemical weapons and 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 in the peaceful use of chemistry.

Delegations from 119 of the Organisation’s 157 Member States (including the three Contracting States Parties Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan and Cape Verde) have registered for attendance. In addition the Signatory States, Israel and Chad, as well as Libya, a non-Signatory State, are participating in the Conference as Observer States.

The Conference elected a new Chairperson, H.E. Ms Dato’ Noor Farida Arrifin, Permanent Representative of Malaysia to the OPCW, as well as 10 new Vice-Chairpersons from the following States Parties: South Africa, Nigeria, India, Japan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Poland, Guatemala, Mexico, Switzerland, and the United States.

This annual Conference, which is the OPCW’s principal policy-making organ, will consider several agenda items, including: requests for the extension of intermediate deadlines for the destruction of category 1 chemical weapons and an action plan to foster the full and effective implementation by all States Parties of national implementation measures as foreseen by the Convention

In a message sent to the Conference, United Nations Secretary General, Mr Kofi Annan, noted “The international community remains deeply concerned about the dangers of weapons of mass destruction falling into the hands of terrorists, and is actively engaged in the work to counter this threat. The Chemical Weapons Convention, fully and effectively implemented, can be a powerful instrument in that work. Almost 40 States remain outside the Convention -- some of them from regions that would benefit greatly from the assurances which membership in the Convention would bring. I urge those States that have not yet ratified or acceded to the CWC to do so without delay. ”

In his opening address to the Conference, OPCW Director General, Mr Rogelio Pfirter, summarized the progress of the States Parties’ destruction campaigns as continuing “at a good pace. We are reassured by the determination of all Possessor States to carry out their obligations in accordance with the Convention and we encourage them to redouble them with a view to comply with this key obligation within the time limits established by the CWC.” In addition, the Director-General noted the good news that a new State Party had joined every month for the past twelve months, whereby “concerted efforts are needed to encourage the remaining States not party to join.”