On 9 September 2004, Hon Phil Goff, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand, visited the headquarters of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague and was received by an OPCW senior management team, headed by Acting Director-General, Mr John Makhubalo.
Their meeting focused on the status of destruction of the global chemical weapons stockpile declared to the OPCW, as well as the crucial role played by the Organisation in verifying their destruction and in preventing chemical terrorism.
Mr Goff emphasized that his Government was in strong support of both the Global Partnership to Prevent the Spread of Weapons of Mass Destruction, as well as the efforts made by those Member States, in particular by the Russian Federation, now engaged in the destruction of the global stockpile of declared chemical weapons, which exceeds 70,000 metric tons.
The need to ensure the security of the Russian stockpile, the world’s largest declared stockpile of chemical weapons, was of particular concern to the Government of New Zealand, given the threat posed by chemical terrorism and the terrorist acquisition of chemical weapons.
On behalf of OPCW Director-General, Mr Rogelio Pfirter, Mr Makhubalo recognized both the excellent cooperation between the Organisation and the Government of New Zealand and the exemplary manner in which the Convention has been implemented in New Zealand. He expressed his appreciation for the support provided by New Zealand in the Organisation’s efforts to achieve the Convention’s universal implementation. Mr Goff reaffirmed his Government’s firm commitment to the goals of the Chemical Weapons Convention, and its resolve to promote the Convention’s universal and effective implementation.
38/2004