Foreign Minister of Indonesia, H.E. Mrs Retno Marsudi, Visits OPCW
THE HAGUE, the Netherlands — 9 May 2017 — H.E. Mrs Retno Marsudi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, visited the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on 8 May 2017 and met with its Director-General, Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü.
The Director-General briefed Foreign Minster Marsudi on issues related to the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), in particular the destruction of the declared stockpiles of chemical weapons. During the briefing, he provided information on progress related to the implementation of Executive Council decisions about the elimination of the Syrian chemical weapons programme, and the latest allegations of use of chemical weapons in Syria. The Director-General expressed his gratitude for the outstanding support of Indonesia in advancing the goals of the CWC.
Foreign Minister Marsudi stated Indonesia’s commitment to the implementation of the CWC and stated its full support of the OPCW, its mission and activities.
Indonesia looks forward to further cooperation with the OPCW in strengthening capacity building, participation of experts and researchers and enhancement of Indonesian laboratories in pursuit to the implementation of the CWC.
Together with the Technical Secretariat, Indonesia is now planning a Table Top Exercise in Bali in May 2017.
Background
Indonesia joined the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1998.
As the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention, the OPCW oversees the global endeavour to permanently and verifiably eliminate chemical weapons. Since the Convention’s entry into force in 1997 – and with its 192 States Parties – it is the most successful disarmament treaty eliminating an entire class of weapons of mass destruction.
To date, nearly 95 per cent of all chemical weapon stockpiles declared by possessor States have been destroyed under OPCW verification. For its extensive efforts in eliminating chemical weapons, the OPCW received the 2013 Nobel Prize for Peace.