OPCW Director-General Visits Armenia for Ministerial Meetings

The visit was the first ever to Armenia and the region by an OPCW Director-General.

The Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, received OPCW Director-General Rogelio Pfirter

The OPCW Director-General, Ambassador Rogelio Pfirter, paid a bilateral visit to Yerevan, Armenia on 29 October 2009 where he met with the Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mr Edward Nalbandyan, as well as the Minister of Emergency Situations and the Deputy Minister of Economy.

In the Director-General’s meeting with the Foreign Minister, Mr Nalbandyan reaffirmed Armenia’s strong support for the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and the OPCW and commended the Organisation for its efforts. Director-General Pfirter provided Mr Nalbandyan an overview on the status of implementation of the CWC and expressed his appreciation for Armenia’s strong support to the OPCW and for its commitment to the goals of the Convention.

In the Director-General’s meeting with the Minister of Emergency Situations, Mr Mher Shahgeldyan, their discussion focussed on assistance and protection activities and on possibilities for further cooperation between Armenia and the OPCW in this sphere. The Director-General’s meeting with the Deputy Minister of Economy, Mr Garnik Badalyan, dealt with industrial and legislative issues related to implementation of the Convention.

During the visit to Yerevan the Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr Arman Kirakossian, also gave a luncheon for the Director-General.

The visit was the first ever to Armenia and the region by an OPCW Director-General.

OPCW NEWS 51/2009