DYB2011-Part-II-web

Chemical weapons
Biological and chemical weapons
We are facing a time of rapid advances in science and technology. New
chemical compounds and production methods are constantly being
researched and discovered, affording the global community many benefits but
also bringing with them certain risks. The need to understand these changes
and to bring them to the attention of our States Parties has never been more
pressing.
ahmet ŰzŰmcŰ, director-General of the orGanisation for the
ProhiBition of chemical WeaPons 32
Sixteenth Session of the Conference of the States Parties
The Sixteenth Session of the Conference of the States Parties to the
Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling
and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction, also known as
the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), 33 was held in The Hague from
28 November to 2 December. A total of 131 States parties34 attended the
Conference. Two signatory States35 of the CWC attended as observers.
Representatives of five international organizations, specialized agencies and
32 Opening statement by the OPCW Director-General to the Conference of the States Parties
at its Sixteenth Session (C-16/DG.18), The Hague, 28 November 2011. Available
from http://www.opcw.org/index.php?eID=dam_frontend_push&docID=15203 (accessed
12 April 2012).
33 The treaty text and status of adherence are available from http://disarmament.un.org/
treaties/ (accessed 12 April 2012).
34 Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria,
Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China,
Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Dominic Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France,
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary,
India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kenya, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar,
Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria,
Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic
of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, the former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United
Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, United States, Uruguay,
Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
35 Israel and Myanmar.
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