Chemical weapons since First Review Conference

Initial declarations under Article III remain the very first requirement to eliminating chemical weapons stockpiles and former CWPFs. Their timely and accurate submission is an important condition for the functioning of the Convention s verification system. Since the First Review Conference, one additional State Party, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, has declared the possession of chemical weapons and of former CWPFs. 

Completing the destruction of chemical weapons by the established deadlines constitutes a solemn legal obligation for the possessor States Parties. Significant progress towards the achievement of this key objective has been made by the States Parties since the First Review Conference. 

Extract of RC-2/S/1 containing a Note by the Technical Secretariat dated 31 March 2008 and entitled Review of the Operation of the Chemical Weapons Convention since the First Review Conference . The annexes referred to in this Note are not reproduced in this volume. 

Akey advance in the submission and handling of declarations in the period since the First Review Conference has been the implementation of the first phase of the VIS. As at December 2007, the modules for document management of all verification-related information and for analysis of Article Vl-related declarations are operational, and work is underway on the module for planning Article Vf inspections. Modules dealing with chemical weapons data are currently being planned. 

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