Poland, Russia sign treaty on co-operation in disposing of chemical weapons

Director General of the Russian agency for ammunition Zinovy Pak and Polish Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz met in Warsaw Tuesday to sign an Agreement between the Governments of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Poland on Co-operation in the Elimination of Chemical Weapons.

In a short statement following the signing of the document, Zinovy Pak expressed gratitude to the Polish side which is ready to practically contribute to the elimination of chemical weapons. Pak remarked, "Poland's initiative is all the more valuable, given that only 12 out of the 147 countries signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention, are making financial contribution to this cause." The signed intergovernmental agreement sets the framework of the two countries' co-operation in eliminating Russian chemical weapons stockpiles. Russian and Polish experts are expected to jointly develop the technology of neutralizing the toxic scrap containing arsenic compounds formed during the disposal process.

According to Pak, "the considerable experience of Polish experts in this area will be used at the first Russian facility for disposing of chemical weapons situated in the Gorny settlement of the Saratov region." On Wednesday, Zinovy Pak will take off for Gorny where this experimental facility will be put into operation. Later, the accumulated common experience will be used at the main facility for eliminating Russian chemical weapons, which is being constructed in the Kambarka settlement, Udmurtia.

"In case this joint project proves to be a success, Poland is ready to drastically increase the funding," Polish Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz said in turn. He particularly stressed that this was the first Russia-Poland intergovernmental agreement signed after President Vladimir Putin's January visit to Warsaw.