The 'Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction' (Chemical Weapons Convention, CWC) is an important international agreement introducing fundamentally new elements into disarmament. The Russian Federation ratified the CWC on 5 November 1997, despite financial uncertainties and only vague prospects for substantial foreign support for its implementation. In recognition of the third anniversary of CWC ratification, Green Cross Russia, in coordination with Green Cross Switzerland and Global Green USA, hereby announces a Public Forum discussing status and challenges of chemical weapons disarmament in Russia.

Today, the overwhelming majority of Russian political forces and the public support the destruction of chemical weapons and agree with the prohibition of their use. In all regions of storage and future destruction of chemical weapons, an understanding of the complexity of the issues has developed and initial, though limited, practical steps toward chemical disarmament have been undertaken.

Presently, the main challenge to the Russian destruction programme is that of sufficient financing. Unfortunately, due to the difficult economic situation and the lack of awareness and prioritisation in the State Duma, allocations in the federal budget have been insufficient in recent years to meet CWC deadlines. Additionally, the entire process has come under strong pressure due to the possible withdrawal of the US from the joint Russian-American construction of a chemical weapons destruction facility in Shchuch'ye. An end to this project would also lead to a collapse of the entire Russian chemical weapons destruction programme. A failure to disarm the world's largest stockpile would eventually also mean an undermining of the spirit and the goals of the CWC.

The importance and value of foreign assistance should not be underestimated, but a general improvement of the situation is only possible with a stronger Russian commitment. To discuss the complexity of Russian problems connected with implementation of the CWC, Green Cross Russia is organising a public forum, which shall bring together stockpile communities, regional and federal representatives as well as foreign governments.

The Public Forum will discuss on the first day challenges at the Russian domestic level, including financial, legal, environmental, economic, medical and social questions. Presentations by the key organisations involved in the Russian Federal Chemical Weapons Destruction Programme will provide an update on current efforts and an overview on the new structures and plans within the Federal Destruction Programme. Representatives of the six stockpile regions will give a regional and local perspective.
The second day shall focus on past and present international assistance programmes (including the American Cooperative Threat Reduction program), lessons learned, and finally proposals for best approaches in future international collaboration.

The Forum shall provide all participants with a timely, broad and informative overview of the Russian destruction programme and the challenges it faces, create awareness and a joint understanding on the next steps to be taken, and provide a meeting place for stakeholders.

This Public Forum, sponsored by the Green Cross Legacy Programme with active participation of Global Green USA and Green Cross Switzerland will be held at the Hotel Radisson-Slavyanskaya in Moscow on 13-14 November 2000.

For further information on the program, participants and attendance, please contact:
Green Cross Russia: tel. +7 (095) 299 73 44, fax +7 (095) 299 70 38, gcrus@glasnet.ru,
Green Cross Switzerland: tel. +41 (61) 382 91 97, stephan.robinson@greencross.ch, or
Global Green USA, tel. +1 (202) 879 31 81, pwalker@globalgreen.org.
An agenda will be forwarded together with an invitation.

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