HC Deb 24 April 2002 vol 384 c294W
Joan Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is in relation to the demand of the USA for the removal of Mr. Bustani from his position as Head of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. [52156]

Mr. Bradshaw

The United Kingdom's policy has been determined by the overriding need to ensure the long-term viability and effectiveness of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). It was clear that the Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) had lost the confidence of a significant number of the organisation's executive council. For this reason we concluded that the interests of the OPCW and the CWC would be best served if the Director-General were to be replaced by someone who could enjoy the full confidence of all states parties to the convention. The United Kingdom delegation to the Special Conference of States Parties, which convened on 21 April, was guided by this position. The matter came to a vote at the Special Conference on 22 April. The outcome was 48 votes in support of the termination of the Director-General's appointment, with seven votes against and 43 abstentions. The Director-General's appointment was therefore terminated with immediate effect.