Draft Report of the OPCW on the Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction in 2017

Eighty-Eighth Session

EC-88/CRP.1

10 – 13 July 2018

25 April 2018

Original: ENGLISH

DRAFT REPORT OF THE OPCW

ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CONVENTION ON THE PROHIBITION OF THE DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCTION, STOCKPILING AND USE OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND ON THEIR DESTRUCTION IN 2017

INTRODUCTION

1. In 2017, significant progress continued to be made in destroying the remaining declared stockpiles of chemical weapons, enhancing industry verification, expanding international cooperation and assistance, addressing counterterrorism, and broadening education and outreach.

2. In the process of destruction of declared chemical weapons in 2017, the Technical Secretariat (hereinafter “the Secretariat”) verified the destruction of 1,620.889 metric tonnes (MT) of Category 1 chemical weapons. Between entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention (hereinafter “the Convention”) and 31 December 2017, the Secretariat verified the destruction of 67,877.6661 MT of declared Category 1 chemical weapons, representing 96.29% of the declared total amount. Destruction operations in the Russian Federation at the only remaining facility at Kizner were completed on 27 September 2017. The United States of America continued to work towards its target date of September 2023 for the complete destruction of its remaining chemical weapons stocks. Progress was also recorded in the destruction of chemical weapons abandoned by Japan on the territory of China. During the year, the Secretariat conducted 11 inspections regarding abandoned chemical weapons (ACW) and seven inspections concerning old chemical weapons (OCW).

3. The OPCW carried out 241 inspections of industrial facilities in 2017, equalling the number conducted in 2016, which remains the highest number ever conducted in a single year. Throughout the year, the Secretariat continued to make improvements to the verification process. Updated reporting templates for inspections were implemented, and sampling and analysis was carried out in 10 inspections, both at Schedule 2 and other chemical production facilities (OCPFs). The Secure Information Exchange System—or SIX—saw a much increased uptake by States Parties. The Secretariat also successfully conducted a pilot test for the use of SIX for communication between inspection teams and OPCW Headquarters, with the aim of incorporating the system into the routine Article VI inspection process.

4. Work continued to clarify the initial declaration of the Syrian Arab Republic and to address the use of toxic chemicals as weapons in that country. The OPCW Fact-Finding Mission in Syria—or FFM—continued its activities in 2017, guided by the relevant decisions of the Executive Council (hereinafter “the Council”) and United Nations Security Council resolution 2235 (2015), which were adopted in 2015. The work of the Declaration Assessment Team (DAT), aimed at resolving outstanding issues identified in relation to the Syrian Arab Republic’s initial declaration and related submissions, continued throughout 2017. In accordance with a request of the Council in 2016 (EC-81/DEC.4, dated 23 March 2016), the Director-General convened, from 16 to 18 September 2017 at OPCW Headquarters, another round of high-level consultations between the Secretariat and the Syrian Arab Republic.

5. In 2017, the Secretariat continued to implement capacity-building programmes in support of States Parties, focusing primarily on the provisions of Articles VII, X, and XI of the Convention, which relate to the rights and obligations of States Parties in respect of national implementation, assistance and protection, and economic and technological development. The Secretariat conducted over 100 activities and programmes for 2,270 participants in all five regional groups represented at the OPCW.

6. The Open-Ended Working Group on the Future Priorities of the OPCW held eight meetings in 2017.

7. The full and effective implementation of the Convention continued to underlie the OPCW’s contribution to global counterterrorism efforts. The Council’s Open-Ended Working Group on Terrorism, and its more technically oriented sub-working group on non-State actors, continued to explore a number of areas in which the OPCW could advance this contribution.

8. The three advisory bodies of the OPCW, namely the Scientific Advisory Board, the Advisory Body on Administrative and Financial Matters and the Advisory Board on Education and Outreach continued to provide advice to the OPCW according to their respective mandates.

9. The Joint Steering Committee of the OPCW and International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) met in October to discuss common initiatives and give guidance to the Chemical Industry Coordination Group (CICG). The ICCA representative also addressed the Twenty-Second Session of the Conference of the States Parties (hereinafter “the Conference”) in November.

10. The OPCW marked its twentieth anniversary at a commemorative ceremony on 26 April in presence of the King of the Netherlands and other dignitaries, as well as Permanent Representatives and other delegates of OPCW Member States.

11. During International Open Day on 24 September, the OPCW welcomed more than 900 people to its Headquarters and reached over 204,000 people through its social media strategy. The programme included briefings by OPCW experts, interactive activities to understand OPCW tasks and tools, and more.

12. OPCW membership remains at 192 States Parties since Angola’s accession on 16 October 2015.

Chemical weapons destruction

1.4 During the reporting period, five CWDFs were involved in the destruction of Category 1 and Category 2 chemical weapons:11 one with respect to Libya (at Gesellschaft zur Entsorgung von chemischen Kampfstoffen und Rüstungsaltlasten mbH (GEKA mbH), Germany), one in the Russian Federation, and three in the United States of America (see Annex 2). Through a combination of the continuous presence of inspectors, the use of monitoring and dedicated recording equipment, as well as the review of relevant documentation, the Secretariat in 2017 verified the destruction of 1,620.889 MT of Category 1 chemical weapons and 315.143 MT of Category 2 chemical weapons, for a total of 1,936.032 MT of Category 1 and Category 2 chemical weapons.

1.5 As Annex 3 shows, between the entry into force of the Convention and 31 December 2017, the Secretariat verified the destruction of 67,877.730 MT,12 or 96.29% of declared Category 1 chemical weapons; 1,810.703 MT, or 100% of declared Category 2 chemical weapons; and 417,833 items, or 100% of declared Category 3 chemical weapons.

1.6 At the end of the review period, the United States of America was the only possessor State Party with declared chemical weapons yet to be destroyed. 1.7 Progress in the destruction of chemical weapons is summarised below.

Syrian Arab Republic

1.14 The Syrian Arab Republic continued to submit its monthly destruction reports in accordance with Council decision EC-M-34/DEC.1 (dated 15 November 2013), providing information regarding the security situation in the field and the efforts taken to destroy the remaining CWPFs. During the reporting period, the Syrian Arab Republic also submitted around 100 notifications regarding the activities of various armed groups. The process to clarify the Syrian initial declaration was still ongoing.

1.15 The Secretariat had previously verified the destruction of 100% of the Category 1 and Category 2 chemical weapons declared by the Syrian Arab Republic.