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Forum on chemical weapons destruction concludes in Geneva: Declares Weapons Demilitarization an Important Tool Against Terrorism And Emphasizes Need for International Partnership

Geneva (ots)

Over 100 representatives of fourteen countries,
non-governmental and international organizations concluded a day and
a half of frank and open discussions in Geneva on Friday, June 27,
concerning the destruction of chemical weapons in Russia.  Sponsored
by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and Green Cross,
and hosted by the United Nations Mission at the Palais des Nations,
the Forum addressed the challenges of destroying some 40,000 tons of
chemical weapons stored at seven stockpile sites in Russia and
provided a platform for exchanges between Russia and nations
providing assistance.
Director General Rogelio Pfirter of the Organization for
Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague, which implements
international oversight and verification of chemical weapons
destruction, exhorted all participants to accelerate and expand their
efforts to help Russia with its destruction plans and to work towards
the current 2007 deadline for global abolition of chemical weapons.
The complete elimination for the first time of a whole class of
weapons of mass destruction "unites us," stated Pfirter, and is "an
important tool against proliferation and international terrorism."
Micheline Calmy-Rey, head of the Swiss Federal Department of
Foreign Affairs, emphasized the importance of a strong financial
support and of coordinated actions between Russia, the U.S, other G-8
and smaller nations as a key factor for a timely and successful
Russian chemical weapons destruction program. She also underlined the
active and ongoing support of Switzerland for Russian weapons
demilitarization and the recent appropriation of 17 million Swiss
francs to help Russia's multi-billion-dollar effort.  Toni Frisch of
the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and Jean-Jacques De
Dardel, head of the Center for International Security Policy,
emphasized amongst other the importance of public involvement,
facilitation by Green Cross as a neutral NGO, and community
development in implementing weapons destruction in the Former Soviet
Union.
The Forum took place at a moment when destruction efforts in the
five chemical weapons possessor nations are massively accelerating
with a doubling of destruction capacities over the next two years.
For supporting the destruction of the Russian chemical weapons
arsenal, the world's largest, the U.S. has pledged some $900 million;
and the G-8 last year in Kananaskis (Canada) pledged $20 billion over
ten years for nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons destruction
in Russia, and reiterated this plan at the Evian summit earlier this
month.  Also Russia commits this year five billion rubles ($161
million) for chemical weapons destruction. The need for true
international partnership for the Russian destruction program was
emphasized. The participants underlined the importance of such
informal meeting venues.
Green Cross, President of the Board Mikhail Gorbachev welcomed the
Forum by pointing out the "historic importance" of abolishing Cold
War legacies -- nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons stockpiles
-- and the central nature of these steps to international security
and peace.

Contact:

Dr. Paul Walker
Legacy Program at Global Green USA
Tel. 001/617'201'05'65 (English and German)

Dr. Stephan Robinson
Director of the international disarmament programme at Green Cross
Switzerland
Tel. +41/78/892'48'84 (English, French and German)