Number: 2001-057-1-020
Title: Impact of scientific developments on the Chemical Weapons
Convention
Task Group
Chairman: Edwin D. Becker
Members:
Thomas D. Inch, Detlef
Maennig, George W.
Parshall, Douglas J.
Raber, and Jo Husbands
[The first three constitute the Program Committee for
the Workshop; the last two from the US National Academies are providing
staff support.]
Completion Date: 2003
Objective:
To provide advice to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical
Weapons [OPCW] on scientific developments that may have an impact on
the Chemical Weapons Convention [CWC] and on the Review Conference for
the CWC to be held by the States Parties in October 2003.
Description:
The CWC, which entered into force in 1997 and has been ratified by 143
nations, prohibits the use of chemicals as weapons of war and requires
the destruction of existing stockpiles of such weapons. This treaty
is implemented by the OPCW, which consists of the 143 States Parties,
the Executive Council, and the OPCW Secretariat (which is responsible
for monitoring the destruction of weapons, monitoring international
transfers of chemicals that are recognized as weapons or their immediate
precursors, and for inspecting chemical production facilities in member
countries.
The operation of the CWC is to be reviewed at an international conference
in October 2003. In recognition of the many scientific developments
since the drafting of the treaty, OPCW has arranged with IUPAC to provide
advice on such topics as new methods of synthesis, changes in chemical
processing that could significantly affect the design and appearance
of chemical production facilities, new analytical methods (currently
available and on the horizon) that may facilitate OPCW inspections,
newer methods of destruction of chemical weapons, etc. In addition,
IUPAC will consider aspects that may be relevant to the prevention of
the use of chemical weapons by terrorists.
Background information on the Chemical Weapons Convention is available
at www.opcw.org.
Progress:
IUPAC organized a Workshop held in Bergen, Norway, July 1-3, 2002 to
explore these issues, with an attendance of 80-100. An International
Advisory Board, with representation from 17 countries, aided the Program
Committee in formulating the program and obtaining the best international
scientific input.
> Conference
report - Chem. Int.
24(5), 2002
Following the Workshop, a report was provided to OPCW
> News release
- November 5, 2002 - also published in Chem.
Int. 25(1)
2003
This report and the proceedings are published in Pure
and Applied Chemistry
74(12), pp. 2229-2352, 2002.
From the press
> Scientific advances impact chemical arms treaty, C&EN, 18
Nov 2002, p. 54. Online > pubs.acs.org/cen
[ACS ID & pwd required] (link 30 Nov 02)
> Chemical Weapons Convention - First Major Review Completed, CI,
July 2003, p.9.
Last update: 19 February 2003
<project announcement published in
Chem.
Int.
24(1) 2002>
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