Australian Parliamentary Secretary Brett Mason (left) and OPCW Director-General Ahmet Üzumcü
The Parliamentary Secretary, Senator the Honourable Brett Mason, visited the Technical Secretariat in The Hague on Monday 23 June and met with the Director-General, Ambassador Ahmet Üzumcü.
The Director-General provided Sen. Mason an overview of the OPCW’s current priorities in implementing the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), including progress in the mission to eliminate Syria’s chemical weapons programme. He expressed appreciation for Australia’s contributions to the Syria mission and commended Australia for its long-standing commitment to the CWC and support for the work of the OPCW. The Director-General also stressed the imperative of achieving universality of the Convention, and encouraged Australia to add its influence in persuading the remaining non-States Parties to join the treaty without delay.
Sen. Mason congratulated OPCW for completing the removal or destruction of all Syria’s declared chemical weapons, as was announced this week by the Director-General, and reaffirmed Australia’s continuing commitment and support to the OPCW.
“Australia has steadfastly supported the OPCW since its inception, and we continue to do so as it works to eliminate all chemical weapons from the world,” Sen. Mason said. “We look forward to closely cooperating with the Director-General and his staff to achieve universal membership of the CWC and an even stronger, verifiable regime to ensure chemical weapons will never again be produced. The tragic situation in Syria makes these goals ever more pressing.”