CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION (CWC): LETTER TO

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 001457 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR T, ISN, ISN/CB COMMERCE FOR BIS (GOLDMAN) NSC FOR DICASAGRANDE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM PREL CWC SUBJECT: CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION (CWC): LETTER TO SECRETARY RICE FROM THE OPCW DIRECTOR GENERAL ON ROME SIPDIS WORKSHOP This is CWC-58-06. ¶1. (U) The following is the text of a June 23 letter from Rogelio Pfirter, Director General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to Secretary Rice regarding an OPCW workshop to be held in Rome on October 25-27. ¶2. (U) Begin text. Excellency, A Regional Workshop on the universality of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) for States not Party in the Mediterranean Basin and the Middle East has been scheduled to be held in Rome, Italy from 25-27 October 2006. The event will be co-organised by the OPCW and the Government of Italy. The goal of the workshop is to bring together participants from regional countries, who are officials with responsibilities in the area of disarmament, non-proliferation and security policy, to discuss issues connected with the objectives of promoting the universality and effective national implementation of the CWC. OPCW Member States accord a high priority to the objective of attaining universal adherence to the CWC. I have the pleasure of extending a cordial invitation to your government to participate in the Workshop so that the rich understanding and experience your country has in the implementation of the CWC can be of benefit to the participants. I have already addressed letters to the Foreign Ministers of Egypt, Israel, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic inviting them to send their delegations to the Workshop who will be sponsored by the OPCW. The encouragement of your government, through bilateral demarches and personal contacts, urging States in the Middle East that are not Party to the CWC, to nominate officials at the policy making level to participate in the Workshop would be an invaluable contribution to the success of the event. Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration. With kind regards, Rogelio Pfirter. End Text. ¶3. (U) The original of the letter has been sent to ISN/CB. ¶4. (U) Ambassador Javits, the U.S. Permanent Representative to the OPCW, plans to attend the Rome Workshop. ¶5. (U) Javits sends. BLAKEMAN