On 19 October 2006, the Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Ambassador Rogelio Pfirter, visited the United States of America. During his visit, he met Assistant Secretary of State John C. Rood, the head of the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, which is responsible for managing a broad range of nonproliferation, counterproliferation and arms control functions within the United States Department of State.
During his meeting with Assistant Secretary Rood, Director-General Pfirter provided an overview of the OPCW’s implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention by the Organisation’s 180 Member States. He thanked Assistant Secretary Rood for the United States’ continuing close cooperation with the OPCW and its generous support for the implementation of the chemical weapons ban by OPCW Member States.
On behalf of his Government, Assistant Secretary Rood reiterated the United States’ firm resolve to fulfil the Convention’s objectives and reiterated its unwavering support for the OPCW’s mission.
In their meeting, Assistant Secretary Rood and Director-General Pfirter concurred that the full and effective implementation of the Convention by all OPCW Member States represents an important contribution in the international effort to stem the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and in particular, to prevent access to these dangerous material for any purpose that is prohibited by the Convention, including countering the acquisition and use of chemical weapons by terrorists.
PR71 / 2006