Sub-Regional Workshop for Custom Authorities Commences in Viet Nam

A sub-regional workshop for customs authorities in South East Asia on Technical Aspects of the Transfers’ regime of the Chemical Weapons Convention is taking place in Ha Noi, Viet Nam from 23-25 April 2007. In total, 37 participants from the following States Parties are attending the workshop: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Viet Nam. One non-State Party – Myanmar is also attending the workshop.

The workshop is designed to provide customs authorities in the sub-region with information on practical ways in implementing the Convention’s transfers’ regime in order to diminish and eventually eliminate discrepancies between the quantities of scheduled chemicals declared by importing and exporting States Parties in respect of the same transfers. The workshop also provides an opportunity for participating customs authorities to share information about their efforts in implementing the provisions of the transfers’ regime.

Opening the workshop, H.E. Dr Do Huu Hao, Vice Minister for Industry and Chairman of the Viet Namese National Authority, recalled the visit to Viet Nam by the OPCW Director-General Ambassador Rogelio Pfirter and noted that the visit demonstrated Viet Nam’s support to the objectives of the OPCW which inter alia is to “comprehensively prohibit and destroy an entire category of weapons of mass destruction for the peace and prosperity of mankind”. Dr Huu Hao further noted that by co-hosting the sub-regional workshop, Viet Nam has demonstrated its strong commitment and support for the OPCW’s efforts to ensure effective implementation of the provisions of the Convention by its Member States. He also said that Viet Nam supports the OPCW’s activities to seek universal adherence to the Chemical Weapons Convention.

The workshop also provides for bilateral consultations with participating States Parties to discuss the progress achieved by the States Parties in implementing the Convention and any further implementation-related assistance they may require in the future. The workshop concludes on 25 April 2007.

PR31 / 2007

Categories: Asia, National implementation