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Conduct of Challenge Inspections Under the Chemical Weapons Convention

NCJ Number
199016
Editor(s)
Jonathan B. Tucker
Date Published
2002
Length
52 pages
Annotation

This report summarizes the proceedings of an Expert Workshop (held May 29-31, 2002, in Washington, DC), which was held to identify major logistical, communications, and political problems that could arise during a challenge inspection under the terms of the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).

Abstract

Under the CWC, any member-state has the right to request the Director-General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to launch a "challenge" inspection. Such an inspection may be conducted at any facility, declared or undeclared, on the territory of another member-state that is suspected of violating the prohibitions of the CWC. The Expert Workshop was attended by 28 experts from 8 countries (Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, South Africa, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States). The focus was on practical solutions to problems that might arise in a CWC challenge inspection of a large, complex facility. As a basis for discussion, the moderators prepared a hypothetical scenario that was divided into several parts. Drawing on this scenario, the workshop participants discussed each stage of the challenge inspection process. In addition a member of the British Arms Control and Disarmament Research Unit gave a presentation on lessons learned from trial challenge inspections at British government facilities. A focus of these exercises has been to develop approaches for protecting national security and sensitive intelligence information. A summary of the workshop discussion addresses the national decision to request a challenge inspection; receipt of an inspection request and notification of the Executive Council; inspection team preparation; special session of the Executive Council; arrival of the inspection team at the point of entry; perimeter negotiations, perimeter activities, and pre-inspection activities; inspection activities; inspection team report; and Executive Council review. Workshop participants agreed that more than 5 years after the CWC became active, the first challenge inspection request is long overdue. Appended list of workshop participants and excerpts from the CWC relevant to challenge inspections