The Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü, recently traveled to Brussels, Belgium where he met with Belgian leaders
The Director-General briefed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs of the Kingdom of Belgium, H.E. Didier Reynders and Minister of Defense, H.E. Steven Vandeput on the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the OPCW’s work in Syria, other measures to prevent the re-emergence of chemical weapons and the threat posed by non-State actors.
Both ministers reaffirmed Belgium’s firm commitment to chemical disarmament and non-proliferation.
Üzümcü also delivered a statement at the Federal Parliament to the External Relations Commission of the House of Representatives where he discussed the OPCW’s work in Syria, especially in light of “an increasing number of disturbing reports of toxic chemicals being used as weapons”.
Üzümcü noted that, under the CWC, any toxic chemical used for hostile purposes is considered a chemical weapon.
Üzümcü said that the recent uses of chemical weapons have “issued a stark warning – the international norm against chemical weapons cannot be taken for granted. The persistent use of chemical weapons – whether it is chlorine or sarin – should be a concern for all countries. Their frequent employment with impunity may ultimately damage the norm that took so many so long to establish.”
The Director-General also visited the Royal Military School where he described the future direction of the Organisation, “whereby our focus will move to preventing the re-emergence of chemical weapons.”
Additionally, Üzümcü visited the Defense Laboratories where he received information about Belgium’s chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological (CBRNe) defense capabilities and discussed possible areas of cooperation for the future.