THE HAGUE, Netherlands — 7 March 2019 — The Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), H.E. Mr Fernando Arias, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, H.E. Ms Margot Wallström, met today at OPCW Headquarters in The Hague.
The Director-General and the Foreign Minister discussed progress in the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), with a focus on OPCW activities in Syria and the effort to investigate and identify perpetrators of chemical weapon attacks.
Director-General Arias also briefed the Foreign Minister on the project to upgrade the OPCW Laboratory into a Centre for Chemistry and Technology, and the initiatives to change the Annex on Chemicals to the CWC.
The Director-General thanked the Swedish Government for its enduring support for the OPCW and remarked that “Sweden has made significant contributions to disarmament around the world. We look forward to our continued cooperation to ensure that chemical weapons become a thing of the past”.
The Foreign Minister expressed: “Sweden has full confidence in the OPWC and will continue to support its important mission, politically, technically and financially. I look forward to continued fruitful discussions with Director-General Arias”.
