Supporting Chemical Weapons Destruction in the Russian Federation

Belgium and The United Kingdom sign Memorandum of Understanding. Ireland and New Zealand increase financial contribution.

The Chemical Weapons Convention foresees the timely destruction of all declared chemical weapons stockpiles, amounting to 70,000 metric tons. The safe and responsible destruction of chemical weapons requires a significant investment in infrastructure and expertise. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) implements the Chemical Weapons Convention and facilitates international cooperation for those Member States engaged in such destruction activities.

The world's largest stockpile of chemical weapons is secured in the Russian Federation . Ambassador Rogelio Pfirter, OPCW Director-General, commends the countries that are supporting the Russian Federation through their participation in the Global Partnership against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction. This voluntary support is provided to assist Russia in meeting its obligations to complete the destruction of its declared stockpile, comprising 40,000 metric tons of chemical weapons, in accordance with the Chemical Weapons Convention's timelines.

The Government of the Kingdom of Belgium and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on their cooperation to support the destruction of chemical weapons in the Russian Federation in the framework of the 2001 United Kingdom-Russia Agreement.

The Belgian Government is contributing to this cooperative effort by providing to the United Kingdom a grant of €84,646 to assist in bringing the chemical weapons destruction facility at Shchuch'ye in the Russian Federation into operation at an early date.

The Government of Ireland has increased its initial contribution of €50,000 to Russia through the 2001 United Kingdom-Russia Agreement by a further €30,000. The Irish contribution will help to procure equipment required to bring the Shchuch'ye facility into operation.

The Government of New Zealand has announced it will make additional contribution of NZ$700,000 to support the operationalisation of the Shchuch'ye facility.  New Zealand 's initial contribution, amounting to NZ$1.2M, made under the United Kingdom-Russia Agreement, was allocated to the construction of the Puktysh electrical substation.

pr8/2006

Categories: Disarmament, Eastern Europe