The Hague, 6 October 1997

Director-General of OPCW meets with Mayor of The Hague

On 2 October 1997, the Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Mr José Bustani, met with the Mayor of the The Hague, Mr W. Deetman, to discuss the progress made by the OPCW in implementing the Chemical Weapons Convention. Mr Bustani informed the Mayor that the first five months of the implementation of the Convention had been very successful and that the Organisation was growing rapidly, 100 states having already ratified the Convention. The Organisation was looking forward to moving into its new Headquarters in March 1998 where OPCW staff from two of the three existing offices would be relocated.

The Director-General briefed the Mayor on his recent visit to the Russian Federation and the Ukraine and expressed his belief that there were no major political obstacles to the Russian Federation ratifying the Convention before the end of the year. Mr Bustani also expressed the hope that ratification of the Convention by the Russian Federation would encourage other states which had completed all domestic preparations to follow suit. The Director-General also stated that consequently, the number of OPCW inspectors may see an increase in order to meet the verification deadlines of the Convention.

The Director-General told Mayor Deetman that The Hague was an attractive international city because it provided a friendly welcoming atmosphere, not only for the employees of the OPCW but also their families. This was of particular importance to inspectors who were absent for long periods of time. The Mayor offered to assist the Organisation in any manner which would ensure that the staff of the OPCW felt more at home in The Hague.