Vietnam condemns use of chemical weapons

Headquarters of Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague

Speaking at the fourth Review Conference for the Convention on Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (CWC), which is taking place in The Hague from November 21-30, Hoa emphasised the country’s support for the comprehensive and verified disarmament of chemical weapons.

Vietnam commits to fully implementing its obligations following the CWC, and intensifying effective cooperation with the OPCW, added Hoa, who is also Vietnamese Ambassador to the Netherlands.

She affirmed Vietnam’s backing for strengthened international collaboration in raising the efficiency of the CWC enforcement and developing the chemical industry for peaceful purposes, and voiced her hope that the OPCW and the international community help developing countries in this field.

The diplomat shared an initiative to build and duplicate regional centres to connect resources to carry out the CWC, including the possibility of setting up an ASEAN Centre on increasing the capacity of the convention’s enforcement.

The review conference is held every five years since the convention took effect in April 1997 to review the implementation of the convention in the past five years and recommend effective policies and measures to improve the efficiency of CWC enforcement in the following year.

The fourth edition attracts the participation of OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu, and representatives from 160 CWC member states, observing nations and international organisations.

With 193 member states, which account for 98 percent of the globe’s population, and the achievement of more than 96 percent of declared chemical weapon stockpiles eliminated, CWC is considered the most successful multilateral treaty in the disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.