Director-General Ahmet Üzümcü met this morning with the Prime Minister of Japan, Mr Shinzo Abe, who is visiting The Hague to attend the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS).
The Director-General commended Japan for its active role in global disarmament and non-proliferation efforts, and in particular for the steady progress made in destroying chemical weapons abandoned by Japan on Chinese territory. He also expressed appreciation to the Prime Minister for Japan’s generous contribution of €13.25 million to the OPCW’s Syria Trust Fund, which is the largest single financial contribution received thus far.
The Director-General said the confirmed use of chemical weapons in Syria had given new urgency for the remaining six non-States Parties to join the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) without delay. He appealed to Japan to continue raising this issue bilaterally with non-States Parties and expressed appreciation for Japan’s ongoing efforts to advance disarmament and non-proliferation in Asia at regional fora.
The Prime Minister commended the OPCW for its receipt of the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2013 and for its efficient work in the mission to dismantle Syria’s chemical weapons programme. He assured the Director-General of Japan’s continuing commitment to achieving the goals of the Convention and support for the work of the OPCW.
