Chemical Weapons Convention Archive

On January 13, 2009 Iraq deposited its instrument of accession to the Chemical Weapons Convention. The convention will enter into force for Iraq on February 12, 2009, making them the 186^th State Party to the convention. The accession of Iraq leaves only 9 states outside of the CWC; the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Israel and Myanmar are CWC signatories but have yet to ratify it. Angola, the People’s Republic of Korea, Egypt, Somalia and the Syrian Arab Republic have neither signed nor ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention.

The accession of Iraq coupled with the December 2008 accession of Lebanon mark significant progress toward the OPCW goal of CWC universality.

On January 14 the US State Department issued a press release regarding Iraq’s accession into the CWC.

News Stories:

Iraq Joins Chemical Weapons Convention – Global Security News Wire

Iraq Signs UN Treaty Banning Chemical Weapons – VOA News

Iraq ratifies treaty banning chemical weapons – Yahoo News

Iraq Ratifies Treaty Banning Chemical Weapons – The Telegraph

Iraq Ratifies Treaty Banning Chemical Weapons – Kansas City Star

Iraq Signs UN Treaty Outlawing Chemical Weapons – Channel News Asia

Iraq Ratifies Treaty Banning Chemical Weapons – Khaleej Times

Iraq Signs UN Treaty Outlawing Chemical Weapons – The Morning Star

Iraq Signs Up For Chemical Weapon Ban – ABC News Australia

Iraq Ratifies Treaty Banning Chemical Weapons – Las Vegas Sun

Iraq Ratifies Chemical Weapons Treaty – UPI

Iraq Accedes to International Chemical Weapon Ban – Reuters

Ban Welcomes Iraq’s Deposit of Instrument to CWC Accession – Zawya

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