Public Forum - Challenges to Implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention in Russia: Status and Prospects at year end 2000 -

PUBLIC FORUM

Challenges to Implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention in Russia: Status and Prospects at year end 2000

The Public forum "Challenges to Implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention in Russia: Status and Prospects at year end 2000" took place in Moscow November 13-14^th, 2000.

He was dedicated to the third anniversary of ratification by the Russian federation of the Convention on the chemical weapons prohibition and their destruction took place on November 5, 1997.

The forum was organized by Green Cross Russia with the support of the Swiss Government, Green Cross Switzerland and Global Green USA.

Now overwhelming majority of the Russian political forces and public support the necessity of environmentally safe destruction of the chemical weapons pursuant to the norms of the CW Convention. However, the federal financing of chemical weapons destruction is very poor. It does not allow Russia to execute its obligations by Convention in time.

Representatives of the areas of the chemical weapons stockpiling, federal Ministries and departments, foreign countries embassies, NGOs, discussed the problems of implementation of the Convention. The special attention was given to problems of the foreign assistance and possibilities of improvement of international cooperation in this area.

From the Russian party the following persons took part in the forum:

Z.P.Pak, General Director, Russian Munitions Agency. V.P.Kapashin, Director of the Federal Program }Chemical Weapons Stockpile Disposal in the Russian Federation

N.I.Kalinina, Advisor of the Russian Government, V.V.Semin, Chief Advisor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs RF, representatives of the regions where the CWs are stockpiled, scientific institutions and NGOs.

Among the foreign participants there were the following:

Ambassador James F. Collins, US Embassy in RF, Adolf Ernst, III, International Program Cooperative Threat Reduction, Richard Rock, OSD Policy, USA, Ichiro Akiyama, Director, Inspectorate Department, OPCW, Richard Wright, Ambassador, Head of the Delegation of the European Commission, representatives of the Embassies of Great Britain, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, France, Switzerland, Sweden.

It was outlined that Russia makes considerable efforts on fulfillment of the international obligations. So, the federal budget for 2001 stipulates financing of chemical weapons destruction six times more than in 2000 FY. There are positive shifts in the construction of the social infrastructure in the areas of the future destruction. These efforts appreciated by our foreign partners. The government of the USA prolongs financing of design and other activities on chemical weapons destruction facility in Shchuch'ye, the Kurgan oblast. Great Britain will also invest into construction works in Shchuchye. The representatives of the Germany and TACIS made their presentations on assistance in construction of the chemical weapons destruction facility in Gorny, the Saratov oblast. Such countries as Italy, Norway, the Netherlands also show interest in the process of chemical demilitarization in Russia. The participants of the forum have outlined the necessity of such events, where the representatives of all concerned parties can exchange their opinions and participate in discussions. Green Cross Russia put forward the initiative to form a permanent all-Russian public body on problems of chemical weapons destruction. It may be called "National dialogue", by analogy with the same one existing in the USA. He should help open discussions and consulting between all parties involved in chemical disarmament.