The Chemical Weapons Convention requires its States Party to hold regular Conferences to review the operation of the Convention. The First Review Conference took place in April and May 2003. The Second Review Conference will take place from 7 to 18 April 2008.
To prepare for this Conference, the States Party have established a Working Group, chaired by the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the OPCW, H.E. Mr. Lyn Parker, with the collaboration of vice-chairs representing the other regional groups.
The First Review Conference received input from interested bodies outside the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), including Non-Governmental Organisations, academia and chemical industry representatives. The States Party to the Chemical Weapons Convention wish to take advantage of such input again, as they prepare for the Second Review Conference.
The Chairperson of the Working Group would therefore like to invite interested bodies outside the OPCW to submit their views on the operation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. Any interested body may submit views. Views should be submitted electronically (to media@opcw.org), preferably before 1 July 2007.
Details of other opportunities for outside bodies to contribute to the review process will be made available in due course. The submission of views at this stage should not create an expectation that the bodies concerned will necessarily be involved in the review process in any other way.
PR87 / 2006