MALDIVES: STATUS OF ARTICLE VII IMPLEMENTATION

UNCLAS COLOMBO 000414 SIPDIS THE HAGUE FOR CWC DEL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM MV CWC OPCW SUBJECT: MALDIVES: STATUS OF ARTICLE VII IMPLEMENTATION UNDER THE CWC REF: STATE 28853 ¶1. Poloff presented reftel demarche by fax to Foreign Secretary Abdul Hameed Zakariyya on February 23. On February SIPDIS 24 poloff received the following reply by fax from Ahmed Rasheed, Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. ¶2. Begin text of reply: We have so far identified a national focal point for the CWC and related matters and conveyed the points of entry for inspection teams to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). We have also dealt with the issue of standing diplomatic clearance for aircraft carrying inspectors of the OPCW. We now have plans to change the focal point for the CWC to a more appropriate authority and hope to meet our obligations udner Article VII before the deadline. End text. LUNSTEAD