OPCW Director-General Visits Italy and Opens Seminar on the 10th Anniversary of the Italian Ratification of the Chemical Weapons Convention

The Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Ambassador Rogelio Pfirter, paid an official visit to the Italian Republic from 4 to 5 October 2005.

During his visit, Director-General Pfirter held meetings with H.E. Mr Alfredo Luigi Mantica, Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mrs Margherita Boniver, Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr Giulo Terzi, Director General of the Directorate for Multilateral Political Affairs and Human Rights of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Italian National Authority.

On behalf of the Italian Government, Undersecretary Boniver opened the seminar on the Tenth Anniversary of the Italian Ratification of the CWC. Director-General Pfirter praised Italy’s long-standing support for the goals of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and for the OPCW’s mission.

In his keynote address to the seminar, he provided an overview of the status of the CWC’s implementation and stressed the crucial importance of achieving universality and full national implementation of the CWC’s provisions to guarantee the elimination of this entire category of weapons of mass destruction. This objective has grown in importance at a time when the world is confronted with the threat of global terrorism and the risk that these weapons of mass destruction could be acquired and used by terrorists.

Ambassador Pfirter also acknowledged gratefully the significant contributions Italy has made in support of the CWC’s full implementation; in particular for its generous support of other Member States in their effort to destroy their declared chemical weapons stockpiles. He expressed his thanks for Italy’s provision of training and experience in industrial best practices through the OPCW’s Associate Programme, designed for chemists and engineers from Member States whose economies are developing or in transition. Additionally, the Director-General welcomed the Italian Government’s initiative and foresight in providing training for the OPCW’s Inspectorate which verifies the Convention’s implementation at hundreds of military and industrial sites around the world.

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Categories: Associate Programme, Outreach, Western Europe and Other States