42nd IAEA General Conference

Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Mr. Huang Yu, Director for External Relations:

He opened by noting that the relations between IAEA and OPCW have been expanding through the exchange of experience and mutual cooperation in adapting and improving procedures for the implementation of international treaties. He said that the Chemical Weapons Convention was adopted in 1992 aiming to eliminate an entire category of weapons of mass destruction. States Parties have made a commitment under the Convention, not to develop, produce, stockpile and use chemical weapons. He stressed that the Convention is applied equally to all its Member States, whether they are possessors or non-possessors of chemical weapons. He also underlined that States Parties are obliged to declare the possession of riot control agents, have reaffirmed the undertaking in other international instruments not to use herbicides as a method of warfare and to destroy all chemical weapons they may have abandoned on the territory of any other State Party. The Convention entered into force in April 1997 and today 126 states are Parties, while a further 44 states have signed the Convention, but have yet to ratify it. He expressed his confidence that the world’s largest known chemical weapons stockpiles have already come under the purview of the Convention. He went on to say that the OPCW has received a large volume of declarations from the majority of the States Parties resulting in an enormous verification task for the organization, which has already conducted 540 inspections in 30 Member States, a majority carried out in chemical weapons facilities. He was pleased to note that the OPCW inspection teams have so far witnessed the destruction of roughly 3 000 tonnes of chemical weapons agents and more than 700 000 munitions and containers related to such weapons. OPCW inspection teams and methods have been widely accepted by its Member States. He also stated that OPCW experts closed down the UNSCOM chemical laboratory in Baghdad and destroyed a number of hazardous chemicals stored there. Regarding implementation, he said that a number of Member States have yet to submit their initial declarations to the Organization but efforts continue to ensure that all Member States comply with their obligations under the Convention. In this respect OPCW is conducting programmes for the dissemination of information, organization of regional seminars, conduct of training courses for national authorities, organizing interactive sessions with national authorities and the chemical industry, helping with the drafting of implementing legislation and setting up a network of regional experts for assisting with declarations and protection procedures. He also emphasized that further efforts are required to bolster the reserves in the voluntary fund for assistance. He expressed concern over the fact that the Russian Federation faces economic difficulties in fulfilling its obligations related to the timely destruction of its chemical weapons and chemical weapons-related facilities, which could lead to delays in their timetable of destruction. He also noted that upon entry into force of the Convention in April 1997, trade in chemicals under schedule 1 of the Convention has been banned with those States outside the regime and that in April 2000 similar restrictions will be imposed on chemicals listed under schedule 2 of the Convention. In April 2002, Member States will consider whether to extend these restrictions to chemicals listed under schedule 3 of the Convention. He expressed hope that those countries outside the regime will soon join so that the Convention can be effectively implemented in all regions of the world and noted that the OPCW organizes specialized seminars devoted to enhancing universal membership of the Convention. He also stated that universality should remain an unwavering commitment on the part of the IAEA and OPCW and that both organizations could benefit from mutual cooperation. In this respect he noted that the OPCW is particularly interested in the strategy of IAEA’s technical cooperation procedures and programmes. He also emphasized that other areas of common interest between the two organizations include verification and confidentiality procedures, financial and operational aspects of inspections, dispute resolution procedures, as well as the experience with other international organizations in the disarmament field. To establish this cooperation he emphasized the need for meetings and exchange of personnel. He concluded that the OPCW subscribes to the IAEA’s strategic vision, recalling the Director-General’s emphasis on the importance of confidence-building measures in disarmament and non-proliferation through effective verification and safeguards mechanisms and strengthened international cooperation and the fostering of a culture of communication and transparency.

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Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Mr. Huang Yu, Director for External Relations:



He opened by noting that the relations between IAEA and OPCW have been expanding through the exchange of experience and mutual cooperation in adapting and improving procedures for the implementation of international treaties. He said that the Chemical Weapons Convention was adopted in 1992 aiming to eliminate an entire category of weapons of mass destruction. States Parties have made a commitment under the Convention, not to develop, produce, stockpile and use chemical weapons. He stressed that the Convention is applied equally to all its Member States, whether they are possessors or non-possessors of chemical weapons. He also underlined that States Parties are obliged to declare the possession of riot control agents, have reaffirmed the undertaking in other international instruments not to use herbicides as a method of warfare and to destroy all chemical weapons they may have abandoned on the territory of any other State Party. The Convention entered into force in April 1997 and today 126 states are Parties, while a further 44 states have signed the Convention, but have yet to ratify it. He expressed his confidence that the world’s largest known chemical weapons stockpiles have already come under the purview of the Convention. He went on to say that the OPCW has received a large volume of declarations from the majority of the States Parties resulting in an enormous verification task for the organization, which has already conducted 540 inspections in 30 Member States, a majority carried out in chemical weapons facilities. He was pleased to note that the OPCW inspection teams have so far witnessed the destruction of roughly 3 000 tonnes of chemical weapons agents and more than 700 000 munitions and containers related to such weapons. OPCW inspection teams and methods have been widely accepted by its Member States. He also stated that OPCW experts closed down the UNSCOM chemical laboratory in Baghdad and destroyed a number of hazardous chemicals stored there. Regarding implementation, he said that a number of Member States have yet to submit their initial declarations to the Organization but efforts continue to ensure that all Member States comply with their obligations under the Convention. In this respect OPCW is conducting programmes for the dissemination of information, organization of regional seminars, conduct of training courses for national authorities, organizing interactive sessions with national authorities and the chemical industry, helping with the drafting of implementing legislation and setting up a network of regional experts for assisting with declarations and protection procedures. He also emphasized that further efforts are required to bolster the reserves in the voluntary fund for assistance. He expressed concern over the fact that the Russian Federation faces economic difficulties in fulfilling its obligations related to the timely destruction of its chemical weapons and chemical weapons-related facilities, which could lead to delays in their timetable of destruction. He also noted that upon entry into force of the Convention in April 1997, trade in chemicals under schedule 1 of the Convention has been banned with those States outside the regime and that in April 2000 similar restrictions will be imposed on chemicals listed under schedule 2 of the Convention. In April 2002, Member States will consider whether to extend these restrictions to chemicals listed under schedule 3 of the Convention. He expressed hope that those countries outside the regime will soon join so that the Convention can be effectively implemented in all regions of the world and noted that the OPCW organizes specialized seminars devoted to enhancing universal membership of the Convention. He also stated that universality should remain an unwavering commitment on the part of the IAEA and OPCW and that both organizations could benefit from mutual cooperation. In this respect he noted that the OPCW is particularly interested in the strategy of IAEA’s technical cooperation procedures and programmes. He also emphasized that other areas of common interest between the two organizations include verification and confidentiality procedures, financial and operational aspects of inspections, dispute resolution procedures, as well as the experience with other international organizations in the disarmament field. To establish this cooperation he emphasized the need for meetings and exchange of personnel. He concluded that the OPCW subscribes to the IAEA’s strategic vision, recalling the Director-General’s emphasis on the importance of confidence-building measures in disarmament and non-proliferation through effective verification and safeguards mechanisms and strengthened international cooperation and the fostering of a culture of communication and transparency.