Following the ruthless, pre-meditated slaughter of thousands of innocent civilians in the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, José M. Bustani, Director-General of the the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), noted in his address to the 26th Session of the 41-nation Executive Council of the OPCW that “the viciousness and savagery of the horrific events in New York and Washington forces policymakers everywhere to re-evaluate the very foundations of both national and international security.”
The CWC obligates its Members States to ensure “for the sake of all mankind to exclude completely the use of chemical weapons”. Bustani observed, “Our resolve to fulfil our mandate must be extraordinarily strong, as the threat now confronting us is all-encompassing. From now on, we must use the potential offered by the CWC to the maximum extent possible. It would be irresponsible to be content with anything less.” Further, the CWC forbids the development, production, and stockpiling of chemical weapons. Since entering into force in 1997, the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) provides an international legal foundation for the fight against the use of chemical weapons. The CWC, which is legally binding for the citizens of 143 Member States, prohibits any act violating the Convention.
The OPCW’s raison d’être – the complete elimination of chemical weapons – provides an immediate solution to the problem of the acquisition of chemical agents and munitions by terrorists. Worldwide, 70,000 tonnes of chemical agent has been declared to the OPCW. These stockpiles have been completely inventoried, inspected, and re-inspected. All the declared chemical weapons production facilities have been inactivated, over half of those facilities have either been destroyed or certified as converted to peaceful purposes. In less than four years, the OPCW has conducted over 1,000 inspections at both military and civilian sites.
The global chemical industry is subject to inspection by the OPCW. Dual-use chemicals, which could be misused as precursors of chemical weapons, are carefully monitored and the trade in the most dangerous chemicals is limited to Member States. “The OPCW is in a position to make a considerable contribution in the struggle against chemical terrorism”, Bustani indicated; “Almost all of the world’s expertise in dealing with chemical weapons is to be found within the OPCW. The international community now has a very powerful, efficient and effective tool to stem the terrorist use of chemicals and to respond to the threat of their use.”
The CWC has been named one of the 25 “core treaties” by the United Nations. Nineteen States have not signed the CWC. “Universal membership will deny ‘safe havens’ to any terrorist group planning the use of chemical weapons”, OPCW Director-General Bustani explained. “After the barbaric attacks of 11 September, there can be little rationale for remaining outside the CWC’s regime of inspection and verification”, Mr. Bustani continued. “A meaningful deterrent against the terrorist use of chemical weapons can be created only if the declared stockpiles are quickly destroyed, the will of the Member States to stem the proliferation of chemical weapons and their precursors is unwavering, and the political pressure to join the CWC placed upon States not yet party to the Convention is increased.”
20/2001