Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 11–13 March 2008
A National Awareness Workshop for stakeholders of the National Authority of Cambodia was held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from 11 – 13 March 2008 to sensitise Cambodian government ministries, departments and institutions about the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention and its implementation requirements. Over 40 participants from different ministries and institutions attended the workshop, as well as representatives from the Japanese government and the Australian Embassy in Phnom Penh.
The workshop provided an opportunity for bilateral consultations between OPCW technical experts and representatives of the Japanese and Cambodian governments to finalise the draft of Cambodia’s national implementing legislation.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the workshop, H E Mr Tea Banh, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense said that in 2006 the National Chemical Weapons Authority received financial assistance from the European Union under its Joint Action with the OPCW to draft legislation for the prohibition of chemical, nuclear, biological and radioactive weapons.
The draft legislation is now under discussion in the legal technical group of the Council of Ministers. Mr Tea Banh said the National Chemical Weapons Authority will try its best to accelerate the process of finalizing the draft legislation in order to submit it to the Council of Ministers and National Assembly for adoption.
The workshop was organised with the support of a voluntary contribution from the government of Japan.