Prohibited Conference

Key WOrds Chemical Weapons (CW), CW Convention (CWC), CW Production Facilities (CWPF), CW destruction, CWPF destruction conversion, CW nonproduction, Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), First Review Conference, Chemical terrorism. ... 

The Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction, shortly described as Convention on general and comprehensive prohibition of chemical weapons, or Chemical Weapons Convention, abbreviated as CWC, was adopted in 1992 after complex negotiations on the basis of The Conference on Disarmament (and previous multilateral negotiating fora in Geneva), lasting nearly a quarter of a century mainly due to the worldwide spread of chemical industry and relatively easy... 

Founded by MDMA-advocate Rick Doblin, MAPS actively funds MDMA research, serves as an information center, and seeks to assist "the gradual medicalization and legalization of psychedelics and the states of mind they engender." MAPS has sponsored two major events a conference entitled "Psychedelics in the 1990s Regulation or Prohibition" in Berkeley, California, in February of 1990, and an international conference in Bern, Switzerland, on pharmacologically assisted psychotherapy in November and December of the same year. MAPS publishes a newsletter and offers copies of hard-to-obtain research papers and theses. 

These are generally limited to what are termed kinetically stabilized alkyls, i.e. those devoid of protons p to the metal (Figure 4.5). These also include norbornyl and adamantyl examples since decomposition via p-metal hydride elimination (see below) would require the installation of an alkenic bond between the a and p carbons of the precursor alkyl. This is precluded for these two alkyls because of the prohibitive strain associated with forming a double bond to a bridgehead atom within a small cage structure (Brendt s rules). The tetrakis(norbornyl) complexes are also remarkable because some uncharacteristic oxidations states can be attained, e.g. Cr(IV), Co(IV) (low-spin e4t2°). The second factor which may confer stability is steric bulk bimolecular decomposition routes are thereby discouraged. 

On the preventive side, there is first the need to make the regime against chemical weapons truly universal. This has two aspects the need to attract all states into the CWC regime, and the need to ensure that all States Parties fully implement the treaty. Of particular importance is that States Parties enact and enforce the prohibition of chemical weapons in their penal codes so as to ensure that the international ban on chemical weapons finds expression in national laws and that any violator can be apprehended, prosecuted and punished no matter where an offence is committed. This important relationship between quantitative and qualitative factors in relation to universahty was clearly recognized by the First Review Conference, which called for two Action Plans one on universality and one to ensure full national implementation of the Convention by aU States Parties. ... 

This chapter discusses the negotiation of the provisions of the CWC related to Review Conferences, and then considers the preparations for, and the conduct of, the first Review Conference (RevCon), which was convened at the headquarters of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague from 28 April to 9 May 2003. The outcomes of the RevCon are then considered, followed by an assessment of the potential value of the RevCon in guiding the activities of the OPCW until the next RevCon, which is scheduled to take place in 2008. 

The Review Document simply stated The First Review Conference considered the impact of developments in science and technology on the Convention s prohibitions. The definitions contained in Article II, in particular of the terms chemical weapons and chemical weapons production facihty , were found to adequately cover these developments and to provide for the apphcation of the Convention s prohibitions to any toxic chemical, except where such a chemical is intended for purposes not prohibited by the Convention, and as long as the types and quantities involved are consistent with such purposes (Review Document, para. 23). 

The national implementation of international chemical disarmament and non-proliferation obligations has been a key focus of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). During the 2003 Review Conference for the CWC, a number of States Parties presented papers emphasizing the need for comprehensive national laws to control prohibited activities. The need for national implementation was also a central tenet of the Political Declaration of the CWC Review Conference, and was further elaborated in its Report. ... 

The need for this type of broad coverage was also emphasized by the CWC Review Conference. The Political Declaration resulting from the conference unequivocally states that national implementation measures must reflect all relevant provisions of the Convention and the comprehensive nature of its prohibitions to ensure that they apply to all toxic chemicals and their precursors (PoUtical Declaration, para. 17). 

Conference of States Parties, Annual Report of the OPCW on the Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and Their Destruction in 2002. 

The provisions of the CWC itself, as with other aspects of the OPCW s work and mandate, provide the framework within which any elaboration of its universality must proceed. Although the word universality does not appear explicitly in the text, the first, sixth and final preambles to the CWC nevertheless make reference to progress towards general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control , to exclude completely the possibihty of the use of chemical weapons , and the complete and effective prohibition of. .. chemical weapons . Clearly, none of these aims can be fuUy realized without adherence by all states and fulfilment of the requirements to implement the CWC in and across all jurisdictions. This has been consistently recognized in decisions of successive sessions of the Conference of the States Parties to the CWC and through the development of a plan of action, which is inspired by the objective of achieving universal adherence to the Convention ten years after its entry into force (i.e. by 2007). 

International Conference of Chemotherapy (ICC)— The ICC is a biannual conference that is similar in size and scope to ICAAC, but is usually held outside the United States. Although the content is excellent, the travel, registration, and housing expenses make this meeting cost prohibitive for most American infectious diseases pharmacists. Those who do attend enjoy the opportunity to interact with practitioners and researchers from around the globe. 

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