The Hague, 4 November 2003

Belgian Parliament President Visits the OPCW

On Friday, 31 October 2003, the President of the Belgian Parliament, H.E. Mr Herman De Croo, visited the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) headquarters and met with its Director-General, H.E. Mr Rogelio Pfirter.

In their meeting, both the Mr De Croo and Mr Pfirter emphasized the excellent relationship between the Kingdom of Belgium and the Organisation and reaffirmed the need to strengthen the role of the OPCW in achieving full and effective implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and promoting chemical disarmament, non-proliferation, international cooperation in the peaceful uses of chemistry and the international efforts to address chemical terrorism.

Mr De Croo was briefed on the outcome of the First Review Conference and the subsequent Eighth Session of the Conference of the States Parties. He was informed about the status of implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, including: the status of chemical weapons destruction and the verification regime, in addition to an overview of the Organisation’s programme delivery in the areas of assistance and protection, and international cooperation in the field of the peaceful uses of chemistry. Mr Pfirter underscored the need to achieve universal membership in the Convention to eliminate any safe havens for illicit activity.

H.E. Mr Herman De Croo reiterated his country’s political commitment in supporting the OPCW in the full implementation of the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention and commended the OPCW’s commitment to ridding the world of an entire category of weapons of mass destruction to contribute to global security.

Mr Rogelio Pfirter, noted the strong and enduring ties between the OPCW and Belgium. The City of Ieper in West Flanders, Belgium, is the namesake for the Executive Council Chambers within OPCW headquarters, commemorating Ieper’s place in history as the site of the first mass use of chemical weapons. Mr Pfirter will represent the OPCW in Ieper at the remembrance ceremony on 11 November 2003, the 85th Anniversary of Armistice Day, the official end of the First World War.

The Chemical Weapons Convention, banning chemical weapons, entered into force in 1997 and mandated the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to eliminate chemical weapons forever, to verify the timely destruction of all declared chemical weapons, to monitor the non-diversion of dual-use chemicals, to facilitate the mutual assistance and protection afforded to all Member States, if any Member State is threatened by or attacked with chemical weapons, as well as to promote the peaceful uses of chemistry.