Global InformationList of parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention information
Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention encompasses the states that have ratified or acceded to the Chemical Weapons Convention, a multilateral treaty outlawing the production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons. In addition, these states are members of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
On January 13, 1993, the Convention was opened for signature.[1] Fiji became the first state to ratify the Convention on January 20, 1993.[1] Pursuant to article 21 of the Convention, it entered into force on April 29, 1997, after it had been ratified by 65 states.[1] The Convention was closed for signature on the preceding day, and states that did not sign the Convention can now only accede to it. Pursuant to article 21 of the Convention, for states that ratify or accede to the Convention after this date, the Convention enters into force 30 days after their deposit of the instrument of ratification or accession.
A total of 197 states may become parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention, including 193 United Nations member states, the Cook Islands, Niue, Palestine, and Vatican City. As of August 2022, 193 states have ratified or acceded to the Convention (most recently Palestine on 17 May 2018) and another state (Israel) has signed but not ratified the Convention.[1] Only Egypt, North Korea, and South Sudan have neither signed nor acceded to the Convention. All four states which are not parties are suspected of possessing chemical weapons.
Of the four non-parties, South Sudan stated in December 2017 that it "has all but concluded the process of joining the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons".[2] Ahmet Üzümcü, the Director-General of the OPCW, has stated that Egypt, Israel, and North Korea had "regional reasons" for not joining.[3][4] Egypt has promised to ratify the Convention if Israel, the only state in the Middle East that is believed to possess nuclear weapons, ratifies the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.[5][6][7] Israel, meanwhile, has stated that it will ratify the Convention if all other non-parties in the region (of which only Egypt remains) do so as well.[5][8] In addition, Israel has been reluctant to ratify due to an unwillingness to grant OPCW inspectors access to its military bases.[9] North Korea is thought to be unlikely to become a party for the foreseeable future.[10]
- ^ a b c d "Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction". United Nations Treaty Collection. 2018-01-03. Retrieved 2018-01-03.
- ^ "South Sudan to Join Chemical Weapons Convention". Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2018-01-02.
- ^ "OPCW: three nations close to joining chemical weapons convention". Al Arabiya. Agence France-Presse. 2013-12-12. Retrieved 2018-01-03.
- ^ Eaves, Elisabeth (2014-10-09). "Ahmet Uzumcu: Getting rid of chemical weapons in Syria and beyond". Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Archived from the original on 2014-10-13. Retrieved 2018-01-03.
- ^ a b Ravid, Barak (2013-09-12). "Israel adamant it won't ratify chemical arms treaty before hostile neighbors". Haaretz. Retrieved 2018-01-03.
- ^ "Egypt refusing to sign WMD treaties". Jerusalem Post. 2009-05-13. Retrieved 2013-11-01.
- ^ Gulhane, Joel (2013-11-10). "Arab League discusses WMDs at Egypt's request". Daily News Egypt. Retrieved 2018-01-03.
- ^ Sanders, Edmund (2013-09-12). "Israel also facing questions about chemical weapons". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2018-01-03.
- ^ Melman, Yossi (2013-11-04). "Israel wouldn't dare use nerve gas. So why not destroy it?". i24NEWS. Retrieved 2013-11-14.
- ^ "Chemical Weapons Control Isn't All About Syria". Bloomberg News. 2013-10-02. Retrieved 2018-01-03.