On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Entry into Force of the Chemical Weapons Convention and the founding of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, H.E. Mr Vuk Drašković, sent a message of congratulations to the OPCW and its Director-General, Ambassador Rogelio Pfirter.
“I would like to underline the historic importance of the Convention and its contribution to the creation of a more secure general international environment and to the strengthened feeling of safety and security of every individual. In extending to you my warmest congratulations on the past record of performance of the Organisation, I would like to stress that my Government appreciates in particular your continuing personal great contribution towards the strengthening of the role of OPCW and the development of its cooperation with Serbia.
The Chemical Weapons Convention, as the first multilateral disarmament instrument requiring total elimination of an entire category of weapons of mass destruction under an effective international control and verification and within the strictly defined timeframe, has established substantial conditions for the whole international community to rid itself of one of the most dangerous categories of weapons and thus feel not only safer and more secure, but also to put cooperation in this field on a completely new basis.
The significance of the Convention and the contribution of all of us who are committed to its consistent implementation are particularly manifest in the context of the need for an energetic and coordinated response to the new challenges posed to international security, primarily by terrorism.
On 9 May 2007, when a Permanent Memorial to All Victims of Chemical Weapons will be unveiled in the Hague, that will afford the OPCW Member States yet another opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to the purpose and principles of the Convention and to pledge to intensify their efforts to destroy remaining stocks of chemical weapons without delay and free the world of this scourge, thus making it a safer and more secure place.
The Republic of Serbia, as an active OPCW member and a country which has fulfilled the most important obligations under the Convention, is determined to constantly promote and develop cooperation with the Organisation and its Member States. We stand ready to make all our capacities, expertise and knowledge in the field available, since it is of the utmost importance to ensure, through cooperation with and assistance to the countries in need of such assistance, full compliance with the obligations under the Convention as soon as possible”.
PR48 / 2007