The Hague, 26 October 2004

OPCW Director-General Visits the United States of America and the Organization of American States

On 20 October 2004, the Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Ambassador Rogelio Pfirter, visited the United States of America and met United States Assistant Secretary of State, H.E. Mr Stephen G. Rademaker; Assistant Secretary of State, H.E. Mr. Kim Holmes; and other senior officials of the State Department to discuss issues related to the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).

Following these meetings, on 20 October 2004, Director-General Pfirter visited the headquarters of the Organization of American States (OAS) to hold meetings with CWC Signatory States and non-Signatory States from the Latin American and Caribbean region.

In addition, the chairperson of the OAS Committee on Hemispheric Security, H.E. Ambassador Carmen Marina Gutiérrez Salazar, Permanent Representative of Nicaragua to the OAS, convened a special meeting of the Committee, at which Director-General Pfirter had an opportunity to address members of the Committee, informing them of the status of the CWC's implementation in the region.