THE HAGUE, Netherlands — 31 October 2019 — The Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), H.E. Mr Fernando Arias, and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, H.E. Mr Péter Szijjártó, met today at OPCW Headquarters in The Hague.
The Director-General and the Foreign and Trade Minister discussed the progress in the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), and the Organisation’s activities to address current challenges in achieving the total and permanent elimination of all chemical weapons, while promoting scientific advances for peaceful purposes.
The Foreign and Trade Minister described how Hungary remains committed to the objectives of the Chemical Weapons Convention and highly appreciates the OPCW’s dedicated work aimed at eliminating chemical weapons worldwide. He remarked: “The Organisation is an essential pillar of the international non-proliferation system. Hungary strives for a strong and efficient OPCW, based on mutual co-operation among Member States. Therefore, I am delighted to announce that Hungary contributes 35,000 Euros to the construction of a new facility, the OPCW Centre for Chemistry and Technology.”
The Director-General remarked: “Hungary has my sincere gratitude for its commitment to the Convention and its continued support for the Organisation, including our new ChemTech Centre. We look forward to our continued cooperation to ensure chemical weapons are eliminated and that chemistry is used for exclusively peaceful purposes.”
Following the Minister’s announcement that Hungary would make a financial contribution to the new ChemTech Centre, the Director-General provided a status update on the project, emphasising its importance in strengthening technological development and fostering peaceful uses of chemistry.
Background
Hungary joined the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1996 and has been an active member of the OPCW ever since.
As the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention, the OPCW, with its 193 Member States, oversees the global endeavour to permanently eliminate chemical weapons. Since the Convention’s entry into force in 1997, it is the most successful disarmament treaty eliminating an entire class of weapons of mass destruction.
Over 97% 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 Peace Prize.
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