Third Regional Meeting for National Authorities of States Parties in Asia Concludes in Tehran, Iran

The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran co-hosted with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) the third regional meeting for National Authorities of States Parties in Asia in Tehran, Iran from 6–8 September 2005. 48 participants from 22 States Parties in the region, and 6 participants from 3 States Parties from outside the region attended the meeting. 15 participants from the host country also took part in the meeting. Representatives from two non-States Parties —Egypt and Myanmar— and one contracting State Party —Bhutan— attended the meeting. A representative from the European Union also participated in the meeting.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, H.E. Ambassador Rogelio Pfirter, Director-General of the OPCW, said that “regional meetings are a crucial component of the OPCW’s work. Through regional meetings, the Secretariat seeks to address implementation-related issues in order to provide information and expertise available with it for the benefit of the participating National Authorities. We also hope that the presence of National Authority representatives at regional meetings can intensify the process of networking within the region so that overall levels of implementation can significantly improve through such cooperation”. He further noted that “universality has been a priority for the Secretariat. Without universal adherence, the full potential of the Chemical Weapons Convention will never be realized. The Secretariat has engaged in a purposeful and result-oriented dialogue with non-States Parties to work with them in order to join the OPCW. It is my earnest hope that we are able to achieve full adherence to the Convention from all States Parties in Asia as soon as possible. By joining the Convention, we further strengthen our common aspirations of collective security and commit ourselves to ridding the world of an entire category of weapons of mass destruction”.

In his opening address, H.E. Dr Pirouz Husseini, Director General for Political International Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reiterated that the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s “interest in the Convention stems from our strong belief that maintaining the international peace and security can only be achieved through the collective endeavours by the international community towards multilateral, non-discriminatory implementation of disarmament treaties in the field of weapons of mass destruction”. He further noted that “full implementation of the Convention by States Parties and developing cooperation between States Parties through promoting regional and international initiatives are necessary means to realize the cause of the Convention. However, without universality, this Convention cannot be fully effective to accomplish its object and purpose”.

This meeting was organized with the aim of creating a platform for the collective promotion in the region of the goals of the Convention —an aim expressed by the first regional meeting of National Authorities from Asia, which was held in Singapore in 2003. The meeting provided a framework within which representatives of National authorities reviewed the implementation of the Convention in Asia. They also discussed issues and shared experiences relating to the practical implementation of the Convention.

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Categories: Asia, National implementation