Chemical Weapons Campaign Update

Chemical Weapons Campaign Update - November 2000

The Green Cross campaign for a "World Free of Chemical Weapons" is now well underway. In Switzerland, the tri-lingual advertising and public awareness activities have been launched, with street posters, radio and TV announcements and a hearing for Swiss parliamentarians in Bern in September.

In the United States, Global Green USA voiced its criticism of Congress' decision to deny President Clinton's request for $35 million of funding for Russian chemical weapons destruction in 2001. In response to this decision, Dr. Paul Walker, Green Cross Legacy Program director in Washington D.C., stated: "The destruction of battlefield-ready Russian chemical weapons is one of the best national security investments we can make today. This legislation contradicts all of our nonproliferation policies." It is hoped that, while the legislation means that the funds will not be allocated in the 2001 budget, the program of US assistance to enable Russia to implement the Chemical Weapons Convention will be kept alive with prior year funds. The Green Cross concerns were in agreement with the positions of Defense Secretary William Cohen and General Henry Shelton, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, both of whom had appealed to Congress to restore funding and warned that "these are highly desirable weapons for terrorists and rogue states and represent a serious proliferation threat."

More encouraging responses to the personal letter of appeal which President Gorbachev sent to world leaders in June 2000 were received in the past weeks, including from US President Clinton and Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin. In the Russian Duma, a decision is being taken this month to increase the nation's financial commitment to chemical weapons destruction to six times that of recent years.

The United States has made considerable progress over the past decade, having now destroyed more than 20% (6,000 tons) of its arsenal at two of nine stockpile sites. Russia, on the other hand, has been beset by financial and bureaucratic difficulties and has yet to destroy a single weapon at its six chemical weapons stockpile sites.

In recognition of the third anniversary of CWC ratification, Green Cross Russia, in alliance with Green Cross Switzerland and Global Green USA, held a Public Forum to discuss the "Challenges to implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention in Russia: Status and prospects at year end 2000", in Moscow, November 13-14, 2000. The Forum provided all participants with a timely, broad and informative overview of the Russian destruction programme and the challenges it faces, created awareness and a joint understanding on the next steps to be taken, and provided a meeting place for stakeholders.