Vietnam condemns use of chemical weapons

Vietnam condemns all acts of using chemical weapons regardless of by anyone, at any places and for any purposes.

I support the comprehensive and verified disarmament of chemical weapons.

Vietnam commits to fully implementing its obligations following the CWC, and intensifying effective cooperation with the OPCW.

Vietnam’s backing for strengthened international collaboration in raising the efficiency of the CWC enforcement and developing the chemical industry for peaceful purposes.

About 70 different chemicals have been used or stockpiled as Chemical weapons (CW) agents during the 20th century. These chemicals are in liquid, gas or solid form and blister, choke and affect the nerves or blood.

CW agents mainly used against people are divided into lethal and incapacitating categories.

these weapons had been "justly condemned by the general opinion of the civilized world."

Countries that ratify must destroy all chemical weapons over a ten year period with the treaty providing a "levelling out principle," which ensures that possessors destroy their stockpiles at roughly the same time.

Countries must stop any development, production, acquisition, stockpiling and retention of chemical weapons.

The verification provisions of the CWC do not only affect the military sector but also the civilian chemical industry, world-wide, through certain restrictions and obligations regarding the production, processing and consumption of chemicals that are considered relevant to the objectives of the Convention.

Many states have also enacted laws laying down an obligation to provide declaration required relating to production, processing, consumption, import and export of chemicals above thresholds specified in the Convention.

One must also consider the threat of proliferation when it comes to reducing arsenals.

In the case of chemical weapons, the threat of proliferation is much smaller than that of nuclear or conventional weapons. This is true for several reasons.

From the beginning of chemical warfare in Vietnam, the NLF and later the PRG have provided regular information on the use and effects of chemicals on the Vietnamese civil population.

An illegal transfer of a significant quantity of chemical weapons would be very difficult to hide.

A country would not want to import chemical weapons unless it had sufficient chemical protection gear and training for its forces, a costly undertaking.

If a country really wants a chemical weapons arsenal, it would be easier to build one itself rather than to import stocks.

While the technologies for destroying chemical weapons do exist, in practice there are many factors that may come into conflict when the destruction process is carried out.

Chemical degradation (or chemical neutralization) technologies also take many different forms. There are a number of chemicals, namely alkalis and oxidants, which reduce and often negate the toxicity of chemical agents.

Safety must also be carefully considered in the destruction of chemical weapons.