The intention of the Chemical Weapons Convention is to eradicate the problems caused by the mishandling of dangerous chemical weapons, by completely prohibiting the ownership of such weaponry; the fact that ‘more than ten years after the end of the Iran-Iraq war, approximately 30,000 Iranians are still suffering and dying from the effects of chemical weapons deployed by Iraq during the war conflict’ is only one example. The notions of ‘Liberty, equality and fraternity’ are important to the French Republic, and ‘the maintenance of peace and security is one of France’s key areas of action at the UN’ ; consequently, the French Republic welcomes the efforts made in order to minimise the misuse of chemical weapons since the initial drafting of this convention by the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, in September 1992, and hopes that progress towards world peace will continue to be made through careful monitoring and control of chemical weaponry. France holds no chemical weapons, and ratified the CWC in 1995. Moreover, France understands its obligation to uphold the terms of the convention, and to ensure the wellbeing of all its members. The French Republic, therefore, urges for a number of minor but crucial amendments to be made, to ensure all members of the convention are adequately represented.
Some neighbouring countries of France present a threat which can only be combated by means of chemical weapons. One example of a terrorist group, from who the French are in danger, is the Armed Islamic Group of Algeria, who hijacked Air France flight 8969 in 1994. Furthermore, ‘an analysis by a private US intelligence firm of jihadist messages released by al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in 2013 shows that France ranked second ...
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...vention as part of the journey towards worldwide protection against the misuse of chemicals as weapons. Certain clauses of the resolution, which show imprecision and lack of comprehension of the conditions of certain countries, would be better removed or amended. France looks forward to a constructive debate in the General Assembly about the future of the Chemical Weapons Convention.
Works Cited
http://www.opcw.org/chemical-weapons-convention/about-the-convention/genesis-and-historical-development/ http://www.france.fr/en/institutions-and-values/slogan-french-republic http://www.france.fr/en http://www.france24.com/en/20130805-france-qaeda-terror-aqap-target-mali-us-embassies www.Un.org http://www.science-engineering.net/science/europe/study-chemistry-in-france Report on the Alleged Use of Chemical Weapons in the Ghouta Area of Damascus on 21 August 2013
As we move into the Twentieth Century the similarities are almost identical. The First World War has shaped not only modern warfare but even produced global attention to the brutal and inhumane death toll of the war. As stated in the Geneva Protocol, which prohibited the use of chemical weapons in warfare, which was signed in 1925? While this was a welcomed step, the Protocol had a number of significant short comings, including the fact that it did not prohibit the development, production or stockpiling of chemical weapons.
"Chemical Warfare Agents - Resources on the health effects from chemical weapons, emergency response & treatment, counterterrorism, and emergency preparedness.au.af." Specialized Information Services - Reliable information on toxicology, environmental health, chemistry, HIV/AIDS, and minority health. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2010.
On 18 April 2013 American allies Britain and France provided letters to the United Nations claiming possession of evidence that chemical weapons have been utilized multiple times in the time ncluding in and around the cities of Aleppo, Homs and possibly Damascus.
Fries, A. A., & West, C. J. (1921) The 'Standard' of the 'Standard'. Chemical warfare. New York [etc.] :. McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc.. Heller, C. E. (1985).
For approximately the past three decades, a terrorist group has come to plague the world with its activities (Gunaratna, 2002). This group is known as Al Qaeda. Al Qaeda, when translated means “The Base”. It is a terrorist organization that seeks to remove western influence from the Middle East and spread its radical Islamic views. Al Qaeda’s most prominent leader was Osama bin Laden, until his death during a raid upon his compound in Pakistan. The Al Qaeda’s motivation stems primarily from extreme and deeply rooted religious beliefs. Their most used method of attack is through suicide bombers and improvised explosive devices. This organization has also used chemical warfare and at this time is believed to still actively seek to utilize chemical and biological agents as means to battle.
Chemical warfare is the use of chemical agents to injure, incapacitate, or kill enemy combatants. First seen during World War I (WWI), the devastating effects of widespread chemical warfare were eventually deemed inhumane by an international consensus and chemical agents were subsequently banned from use. Still, despite the tendency of the modern warrior to overlook antiquated tactics, the threat of chemical agents in the theater of war cannot be entirely discounted by today's Soldier. By analyzing the application, evolution, and overall legacy of chemical weapons in the Great War we can work to minimize the danger they pose in current conflicts and those of the near future. For it is only by understanding the past that we can understand the present and shape tomorrow.
Knowing the history of chemical weapons and their devastating effects will help explain the reasoning for the development of weapons inspection team and why their success is vital to world peace. This paper will provide a small amount of history on chemical weapons, discuss the history of the weapons inspection teams and explain how the members are selected and trained. Incidents of the use of weapons of mass destruction will be mentioned which explain the reason for the development of the weapons inspection teams.
“Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or Other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare.” Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or Other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare. Geneva: n.p., 1925. Un.org. United Nations. Web. 21 May 2013.
For the past several months the United Nations’ Security Council has debated on whether or not to accept the U.S. proposal to force Iraq to comply the new and former resolutions. The new resolution calls for complete disarmament of Iraq and the re-entrance of weapons inspectors into Iraq. If Iraq fails to comply, then military force would be taken in order to disarm Iraq. This proposal met opposition from council members Russia, China, and France. They thought that the U.S. proposal was too aggressive and that the U.S. should not act alone without U.N. approval. For weeks they refused to believe that the only way to make Iraq disarm is through the threat of force and the fear of being wiped out.
Kleber, B. (2003). The chemical warfare service: Chemicals in combat. Office of the Chief of
Broyles, Janell. Chemical and Biological Weapons in a Post-9/11 World. New York: Rosen Pub. Group, 2005. Print.
The history of chemical warfare has ever so changed the world our fears of chemical
“The Geneva Protocol, is an International treaty which prohibits the use of chemical and biological weapons in warfare. Signed into International Law at Geneva on June 17, 1925 and entered into force on February 8, 1928, this treaty states that chemical and biological weapons are "justly condemned by the general opinion of the civilized world.” (Text)
Chaos, fear, and death. Those three words are what most people’s first thoughts are when they see the destructive offspring of either Biological or Chemical Weapons. These Weapons of Mass Destruction (also known as WMD’s) are actually considered the deadliest weapons of all time to not only humans but also to other animals, and plants. Biological and Chemical Warfare has become a major threat not only to the safety to the people of America, but also on the frontlines across the world but, that in order to fix these that the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention and Chemical Weapons Convention could do is to make mandatory background checks for anyone who buys any additives that are in any Bio/ Chemical weapons, mandatory safety exercises, and make bans heavier on the use of these weapons in war.
In The Development of Environmental Regimes: Chemicals, Wastes, and Climate Change, the authors provide a simple framework to analyze the development of global environmental regimes (GER) which ultimately addresses why states sometimes agree to cooperate on global environmental issues despite divergent interests. The chapter is divided into five subsections but begins with an introduction to explain the five processes involved in the development of GERs. The authors address questions such as who forms GERs and how are they formulated. Next, they apply the processes involved in the development of GERs to four case studies that are linked to global environmental issues: ozone depletion, hazardous waste, toxic chemicals, and climate change, respectively. The authors conclude that states and non-state actors can come together to address global environmental issues but not without obstacles.