The Media and Public Affairs Branch of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has already begun distorting the truth. If we had not been following the dismissal of Director-General Jose M. Bustani, it might appear that a majority of the OPCW Member-States had voted to dismiss him from office. That’s how the official Press Release reads and can be read on the OPCW website: http://www.opcw.org .
To save our readers the time, we have printed it here, in its textual entirety.
To find out what really happened and for a reality check, please read the articles in this series, in our International Law section.
The following is the verbatim statement.
The First Special Session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention Adjourns in The Hague
The first special session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention, convened as of 21 April 2002, has adjourned.
113 States Parties registered for participation in the special session, which considered the tenure of the Director-General of the Technical Secretariat of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, as well as any further action regarding the Technical Secretariat.
The Chairman of the Conference, H.E. Ambassador Dr Heinrich Reimann of Switzerland, summarised the developments of the Conference thus far:
"After the Conference considered the proposal to end the tenure of the Director-General of the Technical Secretariat for the requisite 24-hour period, in an effort to reach a consensus decision, a roll-call vote was held on 22 April 2002. Over a two-thirds majority of those States Parties present and voting supported the proposal.
Following the decision of the Conference, I thanked the out-going Director-General for his many years of dedicated service to the Organisation. Under Mr Bustani's leadership, this Organisation has become one of the foremost multilateral disarmament Organisations, setting standards of excellence and equal treatment.
The Conference considered the process for the selection and appointment of a replacement for Mr Bustani and has decided to suspend its deliberations until the Executive Council meets and provides a recommendation on the appointment of a new Director-General, no later than 10 June 2002."
CONTACT
Peter Kaiser, Head of Media and Public Affairs, + 31 70 416 3710
Aabha Dixit, Media and Public Affairs Officer, + 31 70 416-3244
or e-mail media@opcw.org
To save our readers the time, we have printed it here, in its textual entirety.
To find out what really happened and for a reality check, please read the articles in this series, in our International Law section.
The following is the verbatim statement.
The First Special Session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention Adjourns in The Hague
The first special session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention, convened as of 21 April 2002, has adjourned.
113 States Parties registered for participation in the special session, which considered the tenure of the Director-General of the Technical Secretariat of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, as well as any further action regarding the Technical Secretariat.
The Chairman of the Conference, H.E. Ambassador Dr Heinrich Reimann of Switzerland, summarised the developments of the Conference thus far:
"After the Conference considered the proposal to end the tenure of the Director-General of the Technical Secretariat for the requisite 24-hour period, in an effort to reach a consensus decision, a roll-call vote was held on 22 April 2002. Over a two-thirds majority of those States Parties present and voting supported the proposal.
Following the decision of the Conference, I thanked the out-going Director-General for his many years of dedicated service to the Organisation. Under Mr Bustani's leadership, this Organisation has become one of the foremost multilateral disarmament Organisations, setting standards of excellence and equal treatment.
The Conference considered the process for the selection and appointment of a replacement for Mr Bustani and has decided to suspend its deliberations until the Executive Council meets and provides a recommendation on the appointment of a new Director-General, no later than 10 June 2002."
CONTACT
Peter Kaiser, Head of Media and Public Affairs, + 31 70 416 3710
Aabha Dixit, Media and Public Affairs Officer, + 31 70 416-3244
or e-mail media@opcw.org