DOHA: Qatar has made high achievements in implementing the conventions against chemical weapons. The country’s agreement to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC)has helped in restricting it both internally and regionally, according to Brigadier General (Pilot) Nasser Mohammed Al Ali, President of the National Committee for the Prohibition of Weapons (NCPW).

“Qatar’s efforts in implementing CWC have been successful and we have an increased chance to be selected to host the regional centre for accredited laboratory for chemical analysis,” he said.

As part of its efforts to create awareness about international treaties on weapons preventions and safety, a three-day workshop will open on Sunday. The workshop for industrial workers is aimed to get them acquainted with the objectives and activities of the NCPW. Brigadier General Al Ali will open the workshop.

The three-day workshop is organised according to the Article (4) of the Ministerial Cabinet Resolution No. 26 (2004) concerning the establishment of the NCPW. This article is committed the NCPW to prepare and implement the awareness programs relevant to the international treaties of Weapons Prohibition.

One of the main themes that will be addressed at the workshop will be the definition of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) being Nuclear, Chemical or Biological. The workshop will illustrate the relation between the NCPW objectives and activities and some ministries and organisations. Of these ministries, Foreign Affairs, Interiors, Industry and Energy, Health, Environment, Municipal Affairs, in addition the General Secretary of the Ministerial Cabinet, Hamad Medical Corporation and Customs.

The workshop will give details about the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), its implementation requirements, the future challenges, the declarations concerning the chemicals used in the industry and are scheduled in the convention, and the inspection process.

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and its main articles, Safeguards Agreement which was signed between Qatar and the IAEA in last January, the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and its implementation requirements will all be elucidated during the workshop.

NCPW has hosted many of the activities related to WMD Prohibition and Disarmament at the international, Asian, regional, sub-regional, GCC and national level.

In the context of the Organization of the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) activities, the NCPW will host in the first week of November 2009 two important events; the Workshop on the Coordination of Assistance and Protection under Article X of the Convention and the GCC Customs Workshop on Technical Aspects of the Transfers Regime