OPCW urged to ensure destruction of chemical weapons abandoned by Japan in China

THE HAGUE, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese official Tuesday called on the Organization for the Prohibition of chemical Weapons (OPCW) to give particular and necessary attention to ensuring the destruction of chemical weapons abandoned by Japan (Japanese ACWs)in China.

Wu Ken, China's permanent representative to The Hague-based OPCW, made the remarks at the 22nd conference of the State Parties of the OPCW.

"Given the fact that the destruction of Japanese ACWs has a direct impact on the realisation of the core objects and purposes of the Convention, the lofty goal of building a world free from CWs will never be truly achieved so long as Japanese ACWs have not been eliminated," Wu said.

Japanese ACWs have been discovered at over 90 locations in 17 provinces in China. They are projectiles, mortars, aerial bombs, liquid-filled drums and gas-filled pots containing chemical agents such as sulfur mustards, lewisite and phosgene, etc.

They have been found dumped in densely populated areas, in nature reserves and in rivers and lakes, as well as off shore. Due to their age, these munitions are rusty, damaged and often leaking. Some also contain explosives.

At Haerbaling in northeast China's Jilin province alone, the largest Japanese ACWs burial site discovered in China up to now, it is estimated that around 330,000 pieces of such weapons remain buried.

Due to the fact that Japan has failed to provide any information on their burial, the weapons have been found purely by chance, with consequent human casualties and environmental pollution.

"Japan should bear the full responsibility for its failure to complete the destruction according to the timeline specified by the Convention," said Wu.

"China urges Japan to show its political will, honour its obligation under the Convention faithfully, implement the relevant decision adopted by the Executive Council of the OPCW, and increase its inputs in the process, so as to ensure the timely completion of the destruction strictly in line with the new destruction plan adopted by the Council," said Wu.

"China is pleased to see that in the past two decades, the universality of the Convention, being part and parcel of the international security regime, has been constantly enhanced. And in fostering international and regional peace and security, and promoting chemical disarmament and non-proliferation, the Convention and the OPCW have played an indispensable role, and made remarkable achievements," said Wu.

The 1997 convention on chemical weapons now has 192 State Parties covering 98 percent of the global population. Ninety-six percent of the world's declared stockpile of 72,304 metric tonnes of chemical agent have been destroyed under the verification of the OPCW, that implements the provisions of Convention to achieve the vision of a world free of chemical weapons and of the threat of their use.

However, "chemical weapons destruction has not fully completed, alleged uses of CWs have occurred, the risk of non-state actors acquiring and using CWs have increased, and there is yet a long and arduous way to go before the goal of a world free from CWs is ever attained," noted the Chinese diplomat.

On the pillar of non-proliferation, Wu reiterated that as a victim of CWs itself, China has always stood firmly opposed to the use of CWs by any state, organization or individual under any circumstances and for any purpose.

China welcomes the adoption by consensus by the OPCW Executive Council of the decision on "addressing the Threat posed by the Use of CWs by Non-State Actors". China will continue to be actively engaged in the deliberations in the Open-Ended Working Group on Terrorism of the OPCW, he added.

With regard to the allegations of the use of CWs in Syria, China supports the relevant OPCW and UN bodies in conducting full, objective and impartial investigations of the incidents, and come to conclusions which are based on solid evidences and will stand the test of time and facts.

Wu also noted "The OPCW should continue to play high attention to the legitimate rights and reasonable demands regarding international cooperation of the State Parties which are developing nations, ensure its resources inputs in this field, plan overall and optimise international cooperation programmes, and further explore ways to fully promote international exchanges of chemicals, equipment and scientific and technical information, and to life undue restrictions on the transfer of chemicals."

A working group on the future priorities of the OPCW will present its deliberations for consideration by State Parties next year. Enditem