CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION

Motion Text

That this House notes that May will mark the 10th anniversary of the UK's ratification of the Chemical Weapons Convention; recalls that this was the first treaty in history to ban the development, production, stockpiling, transfer and use of an entire category of weapons; considers that this was a landmark convention offering not only hope but practical steps to disarmament; observes that the contracting states pledged to reduce chemical weapons stockpiles by 45 per cent. by 2004; regrets that only a 19 per cent. reduction was achieved by 2004; recalls the victims of chemical warfare in the past; and calls upon the Government and the international community to reprioritise the Convention to achieve further reductions.