Subregional Workshop on Assistance and Protection against Chemical Weapons Held in Malaysia

A subregional workshop on assistance and protection against chemical weapons for the Member States of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in Southeast Asia was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 3 to 5 December 2007. This workshop was jointly organised by the Government of Malaysia and the OPCW. Seventy-five representatives from the following 10 States Parties participated: Brunei Darussalam, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Palau, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, and Viet Nam.

The aim of this workshop was to provide information to managers and planners who are involved in the protection of their civilian populations against chemical weapons, or who would be responsible for the provision of emergency assistance under Article X of the Chemical Weapons Convention. During this meeting, participants discussed a subregional plan for assistance and protection in the event of an emergency caused by the use of chemical weapons. In addition, during the workshop, an exhibition was held on assistance and protection against chemical weapons.

In his keynote address, the Foreign Minister of Malaysia, H.E. Mr Y.B Dato’ Seri Syed Hamid Albar, thanked the OPCW for organising such a fruitful meeting, and extended an offer for future cooperation to achieve sustainable results in the area of assistance and protection under Article X. Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar also inaugurated the exhibition to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention.

In his opening statement, OPCW Deputy Director-General Mr John Freeman expressed his sincere appreciation to the Government of Malaysia for hosting this event, and drew attention to the opportunity it provided for the development of closer cooperation, and for Southeast Asian States Parties to more closely coordinate their actions in order to respond to any abuse of chemistry. He further noted the importance of regional cooperation amongst States Parties for the effective implementation of the CWC.

A wide range of issues were discussed in regard to Article X, including an overview of the databank on assistance and protection, bilateral agreements, the OPCW’s experience in national and regional capacity-building projects, and emergency medical response to chemical incidents. National presentations were made by delegations on the status of their readiness to respond to any incident. Participants further indicated their requirements for assistance, and shared experiences on the measures they had taken in relation to national implementation of Article X.

PR126/2007

Categories: Asia, Assistance and Protection