(http://www.sipri.se:80/projects/group-cw/BICC-SIPRI/index.html)
On 25 April 1997, the Russian State Duma also postponed consideration of
ratification of the Chemical Weapons Convention until the autumn, a decision
which was criticized by Yeltsin. The Russian government has, in the past,
signalled its intention to destroy its stockpile of CW in accordance with
the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which it has signed,
but not yet ratified. The question of what action the Russian government
will finally take on ratification remains unclear.
The Russian Federation has the largest declared stockpile of chemical weapons,
approximately 40,000 metric tonnes. (Munition weight is not included in
this figure) The chemical weapons are stored at seven sites. Roughly speaking,
the composition of the stockpile consists of 5 agent tonnes of phosgene,
7700 agent tonnes of blister agents (lewisite, mustard and lewisite/mustard
mixture) and 32,300 agent tonnes of nerve agents (sarin, soman and VX).
Destruction of chemical weapons will occur at the sites where they
are stored. This option was chosen partly because of local opposition to
CW being moved through their communities. People living in the areas where
CW is stored are concerned about possible environmental and health effects
of destruction activities.
138 SHALLOT CRES - NORTH BAY - ONTARIO - CANADA
1-800-265-5575 - v. (705)497-0357 f. (705) 497-8578 - nbcd@nbcdefence.net
