Update on the 15th Session of the Conference of States Parties

The 15th Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention was opened on 29 November 2010 at the World Forum Conference Center in The Hague.

Highlights of the Conference to date:

• Ambassador Julio Roberto Palomo Silva of Guatemala was elected chairperson of the Conference, replacing outgoing Ambassador Vaidotas Verba of Lithuania. Vice-chairs and other officers were also elected.
  
  
• The OPCW Director-General, Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü, delivered his first opening statement to the Conference since taking office in July 2010.
  
  
• A statement was delivered to the Conference on behalf of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon.
  
  
• The Conference approved 10 International Organisations for participation: the Council of the European Union, FAO, ICRC, Legal of Arab States (LAS), NATO, OAS, Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), CTBTO, UNICRI, and World Customs Organization (WCO).
  
  
• 15 NGOs and chemical industry organisations participated with the approval of the Conference: Bradford University - Disarmament Research Centre (UK), Global Green USA, Green Cross Netherlands, Green Cross Russia, Halabja Chemical Victims Society (Iraq), Harvard Sussex Program (USA/UK), Indian Chemical Council, Institute for Security Studies (South Africa), International Dialogue on Underwater Munitions (Canada), Kurdocide Watch (Iraq), Organisation for Defending Victims of Chemical Weapons (Iran), Society for Chemical Weapons Victims Support (Iran), SIPRI (Sweden), T.M.C. Asser Institute (Netherlands), and VERTIC (UK).
  
  
• The first two days of General Debate heard statements by 45 States Parties and other entities (in order of presentation): Belgium on behalf of the European Union, Cuba on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, South Africa on behalf of the Africa Group, Islamic Republic of Iran, India, Russian Federation, China, Brazil, Switzerland, Japan, New Zealand, Israel (Signatory State), Serbia, Yemen, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, United States of America,  Bosnia and Herzegovina, Algeria, Republic of Iraq, Turkey, Peru, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Thailand, Chile, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Argentina, Malaysia, San Marino, Guatemala, United Arab Emirates, Australia, Bolivia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Qatar, Singapore, Nigeria, Kenya, Tunisia, Cameroon, Ecuador, Colombia, United Kingdom, and Sudan.

National statements, decisions of the Conference and other official documents will be posted to the OPCW website as they become available.

In addition to the official sessions, this year’s Conference has also featured an unusually large schedule of side events, including:

• NGO Open Forum (organised by the CWC Coalition)
  “Regulation of Riot Control Agents, Incapacitants, and Delivery Systems”
  “National Control of Chemical Weapons Production”
  “Chemical and Biological Weapons Use in the Rome Statue: A Case for Change”
  “A Way Forward on Sea-Dumped Chemical Weapons”
  “U.S. and Russian Chemical Weapons Destruction”
  
  
• Photo Exhibits
  China/ Chemical weapons abandoned by Japan on Chinese territory
  Iran/ Effects of chemical weapons on victims during the 1980-88 conflict
  Iraq/ Effects of chemical weapons on victims during the 1980-88 conflict
  Japan/ Destruction of chemical weapons abandoned by Japan on Chinese Territory
  
  
• Open Meeting
  Progress on U.S. chemical weapons destruction activities
  
  
• Information Session
  Third OPCW exercise on the delivery of assistance (ASSISTEX), with screening of documentary film
  
  
• Presentation
  ISO 9000 certification of the Indian National Authority