Chemical Weapons Convention

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The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) is an arms control agreement which outlaws the production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons. Its full name is the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction.

Contents 1 Administration 2 Controlled Substances 3 Known Stockpiles (of Chemical Weapons) 4 Known Production Facilities (of Chemical Weapons) 5 World Stockpile 6 Timeline 7 Current Progress 8 Financing 9 See also 9.1 Related International Law 9.2 Chemical Weapons 9.3 Restricted substances 10 References 11 Footnotes

Administration

Signed in 1993 and entered into force on April 29, 1997 the convention augments the Geneva Protocol of 1925 for chemical weapons and includes extensive verification measures such as on-site inspections. It does not, however, cover biological weapons. The convention is administered by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which conducts inspection of military and industrial plants in all of the member nations as well as working with stockpile countries.

Controlled Substances

The Convention distinguishes three classes of controlled substance:

• Schedule 1
• Schedule 2
• Schedule 3

Certain of these substances are used in medical research. These and other peaceful uses are still permitted under the convention.

Known Stockpiles (of Chemical Weapons)

As of 2005, there were six member countries which had declared stockpiles:

• United States
• Russia
• India
• Albania
• Libya
• A "state party", possibly South Korea

Iraq's chemical weapons were destroyed under a United Nations reduction programme.

Known Production Facilities (of Chemical Weapons)

Twelve countries declared chemical weapons production facilities:

• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• People's Republic of China
• France
• India
• Iran
• Japan
• Libya
• Russian Federation
• Serbia and Montenegro
• United Kingdom
• United States
• A "state party"

By the end of 2004, 47 of 64 declared facilities had been destroyed or converted to civilian uses.

World Stockpile

The total world declared stockpile of chemical weapons was about 58,939 tons in early 2006. A total of 71,373 tons have been declared to OPCW of which about 12,434 tons (17%) had been destroyed by January 2006. Several countries that are not members are suspected of having chemical weapons, especially Syria and North Korea while some member states (including Sudan and China) have been accused by others of failing to disclose their stockpiles.

Timeline

The treaty set up several steps with deadlines toward complete destruction of chemical weapons.

Phase	% Reduction	Deadline	Notes
I	1%	April 2000
II	20%	April 2002	Complete destruction of empty munitions, precursor chemicals, filling equipment and weapons systems
III	45%	April 2004
IV	100%	April 2007	No extensions permitted past April 2012

Current Progress

By 2004, 14% of known chemical weapons stockpiles had been destroyed worldwide, falling far short of the intended 45% goal. Furthermore, only 40% of countries had passed the required legislation to outlaw participation in chemical weapons production. All 64 known weapons production facilities were inactivated or destroyed. Albania, India, and "a state party", which together accounted for three percent of world stockpiles, had destroyed 0%, 39% and 29% of their weapons and were considered to be on track to meet the April 2007 deadline for total destruction.

The United States of America completed Phase II, and was granted an extension until December 2007 for the completion of Phase III. Over 80% of the chemical weapons destroyed in the world since the treaty came into force were destroyed in the U.S. Russia completed Phase I and received extensions on the remaining phases. Libya joined the convention a few months prior to this time, and had just commenced activities.

The United States' General Accounting Office has announced it does not expect Russia to reach 100% destruction until 2027, and the United States, 2014; both after the treaty's final deadline.

Financing

Financial support for the Albanian and Libyan programmes was provided by the United States. Russia received support from a number of nations, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Canada; some $2 billion given by 2004.

See also

Related International Law

• Biological Weapons Convention
• Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) specifically CCW: Protocol III: Incendiary Weapons<ref name="TOL17112005"> David Charter, Michael Evans and Richard Beeston Phosphorus was used for Fallujah bombs, admits US in The Times November 17, 2005</ref>

Chemical Weapons

• Chemical Warfare
• Weapons of Mass Destruction

Restricted substances

• List of Schedule 1 substances (CWC)
• List of Schedule 2 substances (CWC)
• List of Schedule 3 substances (CWC)

References

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• Chemical Weapons Convention: Full Text
• Chemical Weapons Convention: Ratifying Countries

Footnotes

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