Qatar Urges World Countries to Join Convention of Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

The Hague, April 09 (QNA) -The state of qatar has urged the world countries to take the final steps for joining the the convention of Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) as soon as possible to turn the convention a tangible reality on the ground. Qatar also highly evaluated the tireless efforts of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), based in the Hague, the Netherlands, along with the efforts exerted for convincing the non-member states to joint the OPCW soon. This came in a speech HE Flt.Maj.Gen. Naasser Mohamed Al-Ali , the Chairman of Qatar National Committee for the Prohibition of Weapons delivered befor the Third Special Session of the Conference of the States Parties to Review the Operation of the Chemical Weapons Convention now in session in The Hague. In his speech before the conference which started here earlier Monday and is to run until 19 April, 2013, HE Mohamed Al Ali reiterated Qatar's commitment towards fully implementing the concept and target of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and fulfilling its obligations, considering that performance of the said convention would maintain hope to keep it an indeal to follow for reviving a real ethical, moral and legal basis to help enhance the disarmament and monitoring of weapons . In his speech , HE Mohamed Al Ali confirmed that Qatar would continue supporting all legal documents concluded and initiatives made for enhancing disarmament , non-proliferation and regional and international security on just and fair bassis along with recognizing the rights of all states on equal footing for realizing secuirity and safety. Referring to the destruction of the present stockpile of chemical weapons, the Chairman of Qatar National Committee for the Prohibition of Weapons said that this matter constitutes a substantial principle to the State of Qatar which should be achieved as soon as possible hoping that all other countries having such stockpiles to destroy it as per the set-plans and timetables the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has endorsed. HE Flt.Maj.Gen. Naasser Mohamed Al-Ali , Chairman of Qatar National Committee for the Prohibition of Weapons further reiterated in his address befor the Third Special Session of the Conference of the States Parties to Review the Operation of the Chemical Weapons Convention now in session in the Hague, that the government of the State of Qatar will continue to invest in the development and diversification of its industry...saying "This fact only show the need for the effective use of methods and means enshrined in the aforesaid convention". Touching on the recent declaration of the Syrian government about its possession of chemical weapons, Maj. Gen. Mohammed Al-Ali, made clear that this represents a serious risk to the peace and security, whether at the regional or international level, noting that the State of Qatar believes that there should be an international solution to this issue, stressing however the need to include such an issue in the final report of the Third Review Conference of the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. Maj.Gen. Mohamed Al-Ali further said "HE the Director General told the Executive Board in its session on March 27, 2013 that he had received a request from the UN Secretary General to assist the United Nations in an investigation about what was stated on the use of chemical weapons in Syria, and we know that the international organization has started to prepare for the mission of the investigation". He went on saying ," We affirm that the State of Qatar strongly supports the efforts of the Director General in this regard, and at the same time we strongly condemn the use of chemical weapons by any party, and under any circumstances." Elaborating HE Al-Ali said that Qatar has taken the initiative and held a special training course on offering and receiving assistance noting that Qatar accords prime priority for such a course for the states that could be affected by the Syrian arms, namely the chemical weapons. Touching on the special status of the Doha Regional Centre on training on the weapons of mass destruction related conventions, which was opened in December of last year, in the presence of the Director-General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), HE Al-Ali made clear that the main objective of this center not only supports the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, but also to support the verification systems that address other categories of weapons of mass destruction, as well as the conventional disarmament agreements and non-proliferation, and hosting several training sessions at the national , international and regional levels. For his part, the UN Secretary-General also addressed the Third Review Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention who extended the full support to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) . Ban Ki-moon called on all countries to work together to eliminate the threat posed by chemical weapons for all people and for all time. "All of us there made it clear that there can be no compromise on the road to ensuring a world forever free of chemical weapons. I am here today to reiterate my conviction about the important role of the OPCW on that journey...Together, we must ensure that the fog of war will never again be composed of poison gas", he said in his address before the Third Review Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention. It is worth to mention that the Hague-based (OPCW), came into being at the entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). States parties to CWC are members of the OPCW. The OPCW Technical Secretariat has a staff of approximately 500, nearly 200 of which are inspectors. Membership: 188 State Parties, 2 Signatories. (QNA)