China on Monday asked for national implementation measures for
the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and urged international
chemical cooperation for peaceful purposes.
"Enhancing universality and national implementation measures
serves as an important guarantee for the full and effective
implementation of the convention," said Xue Hanqin, China's
permanent representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons (OPCW), in a statement.
China supports continued efforts in these respects through
cooperation and encouragement, she told an annual CWC
conference.
She underscored the importance of international cooperation in
the chemical industry.
"Protection and assistance, and international cooperation in the
field of chemistry are vital pillars of the convention. Effective
international cooperation will definitely help states parties
improve their chemical weapons protection capabilities, promote
regular trade among states parties, and enhance universality of the
convention."
China called on all member states to attach importance to
international cooperation and make more funds and technologies
available. China also asks for a medium- and long-term action plan
in this regard.
China asked all chemical weapons possessor states to speed up
destruction of their stockpiles. "China believes whether all
chemical weapons will be destroyed within the timeline prescribed
by the convention has a bearing on the treaty's credibility," said
Xue.
She reiterated China's call on Japan to step up its effort and
increase its input in the disposal of its abandoned chemical
weapons in China, which pose a serious threat to both human lives
and ecological environment.
Despite some progress, the substantive destruction process is
yet to start, she said.
The CWC is an international disarmament treaty which bans the
development, production, stockpiling, transfer and use of chemical
weapons.
The OPCW, with its headquarters in The Hague, is mandated to
oversee the implementation of the chemical weapons treaty.
(Xinhua News Agency November 6, 2007)
