 |
OPCW | Technical Secretariat |
| International Cooperation and Assistance Division | ||
| S/334/2003 | ||
| 23 January 2003 | ||
| Original: ENGLISH | ||
NOTE BY THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL
SWISS EMERGENCY-FIELD-LABORATORY TRAINING PROGRAMME
(SEF-LAB VI I), SPIEZ, SWITZERLAND
27 April 2 May 2003
1. On behalf of the Government of Switzerland and the OPCW, the Director-General wishes to invite Member States to nominate participants to an emergency‑field‑laboratory training course, which will be held at the NBC Training Centre in Spiez, Switzerland, from 27 April to 2 May 2003.
2. The course, the seventh of its kind, is related to the offer made by Switzerland under Article X of the Chemical Weapons Convention to provide assistance and protection against chemical weapons, and will be jointly organised by the Government of Switzerland and the Technical Secretariat (hereinafter the Secretariat). The course will provide training to up to 16 chief instructors from Member States in civilian CW detection and decontamination.
3. The main purpose of the course is to assist other Member States in their efforts to establish a basic CW protection capability that will directly benefit their civilian populations. Drawing on the extensive experience of laboratory specialists in the Swiss armed forces in providing technical and personnel support to civilian authorities, it will provide basic training to specialists and experts who are or will be associated with CW detection and decontamination in their home countries. Participants will be trained in the use of the detection equipment included in the Swiss pledge of assistance under Article X. These specialists will be equipped with CW detection equipment that can be used in the event of a CW emergency to provide a simple but reliable qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis of chemical agents in air, soil, water, and food.
4. Applicants from Member States that do not yet have civilian CW detection and analysis capabilities will be particularly welcome. That notwithstanding, the objective of the course and its technical nature require that the Secretariat select candidates carefully. Participants should have a solid technical background, as well as a reasonable command of spoken and written English. Previous practical experience with military or civil CW protection is desirable. Participants must also be physically fit and be able to wear an individual protective mask for several hours during almost all of the practical sessions in the laboratory. All necessary measures will be taken to ensure participants safety during the laboratory sessions. Individual protective masks and laboratory overalls will be provided.
5. Participants will arrive on Saturday 26 April and depart on Saturday 3 May 2003. Participants are requested to obtain any necessary visas (including transit visas) before travelling to Switzerland. The Secretariat expects to be able to cover the travel costs of a limited number of candidates nominated by Member States. When proposing candidates for the course, Member States should specify whether such sponsorship is a precondition of their participation. The course materials, as well as accommodation and all meals during the course, will be provided by the Swiss Government free of charge. Further details regarding accommodation, the course venue and transport will be issued to participants at a later date.
6. Interested
Member States are invited to complete the nomination form that is included
as Annex 1
to this Note, giving each nominees full name and address, fax and telephone
numbers, and e-mail address if available, together with his or her affiliation
and area(s) of expertise. The completed nomination form, together with a
brief curriculum vitae for each nominee, should be faxed to the Assistance
and Protection Branch, International Cooperation and Assistance Division,
OPCW at
+31-(0)70 416 3209. Nominations should be submitted as soon as possible,
but no
later than 1 March 2003, to allow sufficient time for the Secretariat
and the Swiss authorities to make the necessary arrangements.
7. Annex 2 to this Note offers a provisional schedule for the training course. Further details of the arrangements will be issued as soon as the International Cooperation and Assistance Division receives confirmation from the participants selected that they will be attending the course.
8. Should any problems arise in connection with the attendance of a nominee, or should Member States have any questions regarding this course, they are requested to contact the International Cooperation and Assistance Division of the OPCW:
Tel.: +31-(0)70 416 3555, 416 3217
Fax: +31-(0)70 416 3209
E-mail: EmergAssistBr@opcw.org.
Annexes: English only
Annex 1: Nomination form
Annex 2: Provisional schedule