Cambodia Ratifies the Chemical Weapons Convention

The Kingdom of Cambodia deposited its instrument of ratification of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) with the United Nations Secretary-General on 19 July 2005 and will become the 170th State Party to the Convention and a Member State of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on 18 August 2005, thirty days after the deposit of its instrument of ratification.

Achieving universal adherence to the Chemical Weapons Convention by all countries is one of the key priorities of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. The global chemical weapons ban will only be able to ensure that chemical weapons are entirely eliminated when all States make the sovereign and voluntary decision to join the international community in implementing this multilateral disarmament treaty in full.

Cambodia is the ninth member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to join the Convention. Cambodia's ratification brings Asia closer to universal membership as only a few States in Asia remain outside the jurisdiction of the Convention.

Cambodia's ratification also confirms the universal validity of this multilateral instrument, which bans the development, production, stockpiling, use or transfer of chemical weapons and enhances collective security through the verified elimination of an entire category of weapons of mass destruction.

Cambodia will now be contributing to strengthening the global chemical weapons ban, as well as the international community's effort to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction.

As an OPCW Member State, Cambodia will enjoy the benefits the CWC offers every country which joins the treaty, such as the Organisation's pledge to deliver assistance and protection should any Member State be threatened by any action prohibited by the Convention, or if it should suffer an attack with chemical weapons. In addition, all Member States have the right to engage fully in the peaceful uses of chemistry.

35/2005

Categories: Asia, Universality