DIIS Comment
The Next Director-General of the OPCWhat
Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü was appointed as the next Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Unlike this year’s selection for the head of the IAEA, the appointment of Üzümcü proceeded with relative ease, little controversy and by consensus
10 December 2009
Last week Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü of Turkey was appointed as the next Director-General of a little-known international organisation called the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Unlike the contentious election of the current Director General back in 2002 and this year’s selection of the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the appointment of Üzümcü proceeded with relative ease, little controversy and by consensus.
While the IAEA election process reflected the political polarisation between developing countries and Western countries with each backing their own nominees, the OPCW’s Executive Council nominated candidates in a national capacity rather than consideration through regional groupings. After an inconclusive vote, a reopening and increase in the number of nominees, months of back channeling negotiations and a second round of voting, Japan’s Yukiya Amano was eventually chosen in July, just receiving the necessary two-thirds majority in the IAEA’s Board of Governors. Similarly in 2002, after a months-long initiative by the U.S. to remove the then OPCW Director-General Bustani from Brazil, charging he had mismanaged funds and destroyed staff morale, countries of the Nonaligned Movement were pitted against Western states. In contrast, this year’s selection for the OPCW post moved smoothly with 6 nominees withdrawing one by one after receiving the lowest number of votes, eventually conceding to Üzümcü who was unanimously appointed by council members in October. 188 countries then confirmed Üzümcü by consensus during their annual Conference of States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) in The Hague last week (30 November – 4 December). The “unanimous decision of the Conference recognized his outstanding merit and sterling qualities, both personal and professional, and also signifies the OPCW’s unique multilateral spirit of cooperation” the current Director-General Pfirter said.
The OPCW is however not without its politics. During his four-year mandate, Üzümcü will face a great number of issues challenging the treaty. On implementation, Russia and the U.S. - the world’s two largest possessors - will not meet the final 100% destruction deadline of 29 April 2012. As of 1 December, 38,299 (53.80%) of the world's declared stockpile of 71,194 metric tonnes of chemical agent have been destroyed and projections for 2012 are around 90% completion. Russia will likely reach full destruction a year or two later while it could take another 7-9 years for the United States. Japan is also obligated to destroy the chemical weapons it abandoned during World War II in China by the 2012 deadline which has also faced delays; destruction is expected to begin in 2010. Other difficult issues to be addressed include those of incapacitants or riot control ‘non-lethal’ agents which are ambiguously defined in the Convention, limiting declaratory and transparency mechanisms and a failure by States Parties to effectively utilise multilateral negotiation, investigative mechanisms and oversight bodies to respond to possible breaches. The world’s oceans are also littered with hundreds of thousands of sea-dumped chemical weapons, an issue particularly relevant to Denmark and other states of the Baltic Sea where about 40,000 metric tonnes of chemical munitions were dumped in the years following WWII - mostly in the area to the east of Bornholm, southeast of Gotland and south of the Little Belt. The proposed Nord Stream natural gas pipeline runs a high risk of disrupting dumpsites and without discussions amongst States Parties in the OPCW the security aspects, let alone the human and environmental safety challenges, of dislodged munitions will remain vague. Along with developments arising in science and technology which along with benefits to humankind could also create new purposes for chemical weapons, full national implementation of the CWC is critical to ensuring compliance and the continuing success of the treaty.
Finally, Üzümcü will continue the OPCW’s push for full global membership of the CWC. Currently at 188 States Parties, the CWC has the support of 98% of the global population, the most for a disarmament treaty (the CWC is the only disarmament treaty of weapons of mass destruction that provides for international verification). The remaining states outside of the treaty – Angola, Egypt, Israel, Somalia, Syria, Myanmar and North Korea – present specific political challenges. Luckily, Üzümcü has experience in the Middle East, serving as the Ambassador of Turkey to Israel (1999-2002) and Consul in Aleppo, Syria (1982-1984). Currently serving as Turkey’s permanent representative to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, he has also served as Deputy Undersecretary of State for Bilateral Political Affairs, as the Permanent Representative of Turkey to the NATO Council in Brussels (2002-2004), and as a staff member of NATO’s Political Directorate (1989-1994), contributing to the work of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council and NATO’s Partnership for Peace initiative, traveling extensively to countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. He has also held various postings at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ankara. Üzümcü is thus not only familiar with multilateral non-proliferation and disarmament negotiations and international organisations but also with politico-military affairs and has a thorough understanding of North, South, East and West. He was also the only nominated candidate who spoke of the important role for civil society in the OPCW and implementation of the CWC.
In addressing the Conference of States Parties last week, Üzümcü commented on the need to raise awareness about the organisation, addressing what OPCW officials describe as ‘the OPCWhat?’ question. Many in government and industry across member countries are still unaware of the OPCW and CWC. After 12 years of the treaty’s existence, there is even more of a need for outreach by the OPCW and national authorities to fully entrench the norm against chemical weapons at the national and local level. As the treaty nears its mandated destruction deadlines, the OPCW’s importance and relevance are critical to maintaining a world free of chemical weapons. Taking over the position on 25 July 2010 with a mandate until 2014, Üzümcü’s diplomatic skills will be tested given the complexities of the challenges he’ll face. The task for States Parties is to continue their cross-regional support, not only for the incoming Director-General but also in strengthening the treaty to ensure a world at zero chemical weapons beyond 2012.
While the IAEA election process reflected the political polarisation between developing countries and Western countries with each backing their own nominees, the OPCW’s Executive Council nominated candidates in a national capacity rather than consideration through regional groupings. After an inconclusive vote, a reopening and increase in the number of nominees, months of back channeling negotiations and a second round of voting, Japan’s Yukiya Amano was eventually chosen in July, just receiving the necessary two-thirds majority in the IAEA’s Board of Governors. Similarly in 2002, after a months-long initiative by the U.S. to remove the then OPCW Director-General Bustani from Brazil, charging he had mismanaged funds and destroyed staff morale, countries of the Nonaligned Movement were pitted against Western states. In contrast, this year’s selection for the OPCW post moved smoothly with 6 nominees withdrawing one by one after receiving the lowest number of votes, eventually conceding to Üzümcü who was unanimously appointed by council members in October. 188 countries then confirmed Üzümcü by consensus during their annual Conference of States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) in The Hague last week (30 November – 4 December). The “unanimous decision of the Conference recognized his outstanding merit and sterling qualities, both personal and professional, and also signifies the OPCW’s unique multilateral spirit of cooperation” the current Director-General Pfirter said.
The OPCW is however not without its politics. During his four-year mandate, Üzümcü will face a great number of issues challenging the treaty. On implementation, Russia and the U.S. - the world’s two largest possessors - will not meet the final 100% destruction deadline of 29 April 2012. As of 1 December, 38,299 (53.80%) of the world's declared stockpile of 71,194 metric tonnes of chemical agent have been destroyed and projections for 2012 are around 90% completion. Russia will likely reach full destruction a year or two later while it could take another 7-9 years for the United States. Japan is also obligated to destroy the chemical weapons it abandoned during World War II in China by the 2012 deadline which has also faced delays; destruction is expected to begin in 2010. Other difficult issues to be addressed include those of incapacitants or riot control ‘non-lethal’ agents which are ambiguously defined in the Convention, limiting declaratory and transparency mechanisms and a failure by States Parties to effectively utilise multilateral negotiation, investigative mechanisms and oversight bodies to respond to possible breaches. The world’s oceans are also littered with hundreds of thousands of sea-dumped chemical weapons, an issue particularly relevant to Denmark and other states of the Baltic Sea where about 40,000 metric tonnes of chemical munitions were dumped in the years following WWII - mostly in the area to the east of Bornholm, southeast of Gotland and south of the Little Belt. The proposed Nord Stream natural gas pipeline runs a high risk of disrupting dumpsites and without discussions amongst States Parties in the OPCW the security aspects, let alone the human and environmental safety challenges, of dislodged munitions will remain vague. Along with developments arising in science and technology which along with benefits to humankind could also create new purposes for chemical weapons, full national implementation of the CWC is critical to ensuring compliance and the continuing success of the treaty.
Finally, Üzümcü will continue the OPCW’s push for full global membership of the CWC. Currently at 188 States Parties, the CWC has the support of 98% of the global population, the most for a disarmament treaty (the CWC is the only disarmament treaty of weapons of mass destruction that provides for international verification). The remaining states outside of the treaty – Angola, Egypt, Israel, Somalia, Syria, Myanmar and North Korea – present specific political challenges. Luckily, Üzümcü has experience in the Middle East, serving as the Ambassador of Turkey to Israel (1999-2002) and Consul in Aleppo, Syria (1982-1984). Currently serving as Turkey’s permanent representative to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, he has also served as Deputy Undersecretary of State for Bilateral Political Affairs, as the Permanent Representative of Turkey to the NATO Council in Brussels (2002-2004), and as a staff member of NATO’s Political Directorate (1989-1994), contributing to the work of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council and NATO’s Partnership for Peace initiative, traveling extensively to countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. He has also held various postings at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ankara. Üzümcü is thus not only familiar with multilateral non-proliferation and disarmament negotiations and international organisations but also with politico-military affairs and has a thorough understanding of North, South, East and West. He was also the only nominated candidate who spoke of the important role for civil society in the OPCW and implementation of the CWC.
In addressing the Conference of States Parties last week, Üzümcü commented on the need to raise awareness about the organisation, addressing what OPCW officials describe as ‘the OPCWhat?’ question. Many in government and industry across member countries are still unaware of the OPCW and CWC. After 12 years of the treaty’s existence, there is even more of a need for outreach by the OPCW and national authorities to fully entrench the norm against chemical weapons at the national and local level. As the treaty nears its mandated destruction deadlines, the OPCW’s importance and relevance are critical to maintaining a world free of chemical weapons. Taking over the position on 25 July 2010 with a mandate until 2014, Üzümcü’s diplomatic skills will be tested given the complexities of the challenges he’ll face. The task for States Parties is to continue their cross-regional support, not only for the incoming Director-General but also in strengthening the treaty to ensure a world at zero chemical weapons beyond 2012.
The Next Director-General of the OPCWhat?