OPCW Director-General Visits Paris, France

On 14 June 2007, the Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Ambassador Rogelio Pfirter paid an official visit to the Republic of France, where he held meetings with government officials at the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defense, as well as Economy, Finance, and Employment.

Director-General Pfirter met and exchanged views on the status of implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) with the Deputy Director to the Delegation of Strategic Affairs of the Ministry of Defence, Amiral de Saint Salvy; the Director for Political Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Gérard Araud; and the Senior Officer for Defence and Security in the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Employment, Mr Emmanuel Sartorius. The French officials reaffirmed the unwavering support of the French Republic in achieving the goals of the Chemical Weapons Convention, its firm resolve to achieve the Convention’s universal and effective application and its strong support for the Organisation.

Director-General Pfirter expressed his appreciation to the Government of France for its dedicated cooperation and strong support for the Convention’s implementation, noting that France had played a vital role in matters relating to global disarmament and security, particularly in the field of weapons of mass destruction.

During his meetings, Director-General Pfirter emphasised that the CWC States Parties, which are responsible for implementing the only disarmament treaty banning an entire category of weapons of mass destruction, are committed to fulfilling the Chemical Weapons Convention’s core mandates: achieving universal adherence to the CWC and its full and effective national implementation, destroying all declared chemical weapons under stringent international verification, preventing the proliferation of chemical weapons, and providing cooperation and assistance to the 182 nations that comprise the OPCW.

PR64 / 2007

Categories: Outreach, Western Europe and Other States