CHAPTER XXVI

DISARMAMENT3Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their DestructionGeneva, 3 September 1992Entry into force29 April 1997, in accordance with article XXI(1).Registration29 April 1997, No. 33757StatusSignatories165Parties188TextUnited Nations, <i> Treaty Series </i>, vol. 1974, p. 45; and depositary notifications C.N.246.1994.TREATIES-5 of 31 August 1994 (procès-verbal of rectification of the original of the Convention: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish texts); C.N.359.1994.TREATIES-8 of 27 January 1995 (procès-verbal of rectification of the original of the Convention: Spanish text); C.N.454.1995.TREATIES-12 of 2 February 1996 (procès-verbal of rectification of the original of the Convention: Arabic and Russian texts); C.N.916.1999.TREATIES-7 of 8 October 1999 [acceptance of amendment for a change to Section B of Part VI of the Annex on Implementation and Verification (“Verification Annex"), effective 31 October 1999] and C.N.610.2005.TREATIES-4 of 29 July 2005 [Approval of changes to Part V of the Annex on Implementation and Verification ("Verification Annex")]; and C.N.157.2000.TREATIES-1 of 13 March 2000 [acceptance of corrections to amendments, effective 9 March 2000].At its 635th plenary meeting on 3 September 1992 held in Geneva, the Conference on Disarmament adopted the “Report of the <i>Ad Hoc </i> Committee on Chemical Weapons to the Conference on Disarmament”, including the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction, contained in the Appendix to the Report. At its 47th session held in New York, the General Assembly, by resolution A/RES/47/39<superscript>1</superscript> adopted on 30 November 1992, commended the Convention. In the same resolution, the General Assembly also welcomed the invitation of the President of the French Republic to participate in a ceremony to sign the Convention in Paris on 13 January 1993 and requested the Secretary-General, as Depositary of the Convention, to open it for signature in Paris on that date. The Convention was opened for signature in Paris, from 13 January to 15 January 1993. Thereafter, it remained open for signature at the Headquarters of the United Nations in New York, until its entry into force, in accordance with article XVIII.

ParticipantSignatureRatification, Accession(a), Acceptance(A), Succession(d)Afghanistan14 Jan 1993 24 Sep 2003 Albania14 Jan 1993 11 May 1994 Algeria13 Jan 1993 14 Aug 1995 Andorra27 Feb 2003 aAntigua and Barbuda29 Aug 2005 aArgentina13 Jan 1993 2 Oct 1995 Armenia19 Mar 1993 27 Jan 1995 Australia13 Jan 1993 6 May 1994 Austria13 Jan 1993 17 Aug 1995 Azerbaijan13 Jan 1993 29 Feb 2000 Bahamas 2 Mar 1994 21 Apr 2009 Bahrain24 Feb 1993 28 Apr 1997 Bangladesh14 Jan 1993 25 Apr 1997 Barbados 7 Mar 2007 aBelarus14 Jan 1993 11 Jul 1996 Belgium13 Jan 1993 27 Jan 1997 Belize 1 Dec 2003 aBenin14 Jan 1993 14 May 1998 Bhutan24 Apr 1997 18 Aug 2005 Bolivia (Plurinational State of)14 Jan 1993 14 Aug 1998 Bosnia and Herzegovina16 Jan 1997 25 Feb 1997 Botswana31 Aug 1998 aBrazil13 Jan 1993 13 Mar 1996 Brunei Darussalam13 Jan 1993 28 Jul 1997 Bulgaria13 Jan 1993 10 Aug 1994 Burkina Faso14 Jan 1993 8 Jul 1997 Burundi15 Jan 1993 4 Sep 1998 Cambodia15 Jan 1993 19 Jul 2005 Cameroon14 Jan 1993 16 Sep 1996 Canada13 Jan 1993 26 Sep 1995 Cape Verde15 Jan 1993 10 Oct 2003 Central African Republic14 Jan 1993 20 Sep 2006 Chad11 Oct 1994 13 Feb 2004 Chile14 Jan 1993 12 Jul 1996 China13 Jan 1993 25 Apr 1997 Colombia13 Jan 1993 5 Apr 2000 Comoros13 Jan 1993 18 Aug 2006 Congo15 Jan 1993 4 Dec 2007 Cook Islands14 Jan 1993 15 Jul 1994 Costa Rica14 Jan 1993 31 May 1996 Côte d'Ivoire13 Jan 1993 18 Dec 1995 Croatia13 Jan 1993 23 May 1995 Cuba13 Jan 1993 29 Apr 1997 Cyprus13 Jan 1993 28 Aug 1998 Czech Republic14 Jan 1993 6 Mar 1996 Democratic Republic of the Congo14 Jan 1993 12 Oct 2005 Denmark14 Jan 1993 13 Jul 1995 Djibouti28 Sep 1993 25 Jan 2006 Dominica 2 Aug 1993 12 Feb 2001 Dominican Republic13 Jan 1993 27 Mar 2009 Ecuador14 Jan 1993 6 Sep 1995 El Salvador14 Jan 1993 30 Oct 1995 Equatorial Guinea14 Jan 1993 25 Apr 1997 Eritrea14 Feb 2000 aEstonia14 Jan 1993 26 May 1999 Ethiopia14 Jan 1993 13 May 1996 Fiji14 Jan 1993 20 Jan 1993 Finland14 Jan 1993 7 Feb 1995 France13 Jan 1993 2 Mar 1995 Gabon13 Jan 1993 8 Sep 2000 Gambia13 Jan 1993 19 May 1998 Georgia14 Jan 1993 27 Nov 1995 Germany13 Jan 1993 12 Aug 1994 Ghana14 Jan 1993 9 Jul 1997 Greece13 Jan 1993 22 Dec 1994 Grenada 9 Apr 1997 3 Jun 2005 Guatemala14 Jan 1993 12 Feb 2003 Guinea14 Jan 1993 9 Jun 1997 Guinea-Bissau14 Jan 1993 20 May 2008 Guyana 6 Oct 1993 12 Sep 1997 Haiti14 Jan 1993 22 Feb 2006 Holy See14 Jan 1993 12 May 1999 Honduras13 Jan 1993 29 Aug 2005 Hungary13 Jan 1993 31 Oct 1996 Iceland13 Jan 1993 28 Apr 1997 India14 Jan 1993 3 Sep 1996 Indonesia13 Jan 1993 12 Nov 1998 Iran (Islamic Republic of)13 Jan 1993 3 Nov 1997 Iraq13 Jan 2009 aIreland14 Jan 1993 24 Jun 1996 Israel13 Jan 1993 Italy13 Jan 1993 8 Dec 1995 Jamaica18 Apr 1997 8 Sep 2000 Japan13 Jan 1993 15 Sep 1995 Jordan29 Oct 1997 aKazakhstan14 Jan 1993 23 Mar 2000 Kenya15 Jan 1993 25 Apr 1997 Kiribati 7 Sep 2000 aKuwait27 Jan 1993 29 May 1997 Kyrgyzstan22 Feb 1993 29 Sep 2003 Lao People's Democratic Republic13 May 1993 25 Feb 1997 Latvia 6 May 1993 23 Jul 1996 Lebanon20 Nov 2008 aLesotho 7 Dec 1994 7 Dec 1994 Liberia15 Jan 1993 23 Feb 2006 Libya 6 Jan 2004 aLiechtenstein21 Jul 1993 24 Nov 1999 Lithuania13 Jan 1993 15 Apr 1998 Luxembourg13 Jan 1993 15 Apr 1997 Madagascar15 Jan 1993 20 Oct 2004 Malawi14 Jan 1993 11 Jun 1998 Malaysia13 Jan 1993 20 Apr 2000 Maldives 4 Oct 1993 31 May 1994 Mali13 Jan 1993 28 Apr 1997 Malta13 Jan 1993 28 Apr 1997 Marshall Islands13 Jan 1993 19 May 2004 Mauritania13 Jan 1993 9 Feb 1998 Mauritius14 Jan 1993 9 Feb 1993 Mexico13 Jan 1993 29 Aug 1994 Micronesia (Federated States of)13 Jan 1993 21 Jun 1999 Monaco13 Jan 1993 1 Jun 1995 Mongolia14 Jan 1993 17 Jan 1995 Montenegro<superscript>2</superscript>23 Oct 2006 dMorocco13 Jan 1993 28 Dec 1995 Mozambique15 Aug 2000 aMyanmar14 Jan 1993 Namibia13 Jan 1993 24 Nov 1995 Nauru13 Jan 1993 12 Nov 2001 Nepal19 Jan 1993 18 Nov 1997 Netherlands<superscript>3</superscript>14 Jan 1993 30 Jun 1995 New Zealand14 Jan 1993 15 Jul 1996 Nicaragua 9 Mar 1993 5 Nov 1999 Niger14 Jan 1993 9 Apr 1997 Nigeria13 Jan 1993 20 May 1999 Niue21 Apr 2005 aNorway13 Jan 1993 7 Apr 1994 Oman 2 Feb 1993 8 Feb 1995 Pakistan13 Jan 1993 28 Oct 1997 Palau 3 Feb 2003 aPanama16 Jun 1993 7 Oct 1998 Papua New Guinea14 Jan 1993 17 Apr 1996 Paraguay14 Jan 1993 1 Dec 1994 Peru14 Jan 1993 20 Jul 1995 Philippines13 Jan 1993 11 Dec 1996 Poland13 Jan 1993 23 Aug 1995 Portugal13 Jan 1993 10 Sep 1996 Qatar 1 Feb 1993 3 Sep 1997 Republic of Korea14 Jan 1993 28 Apr 1997 Republic of Moldova13 Jan 1993 8 Jul 1996 Romania13 Jan 1993 15 Feb 1995 Russian Federation13 Jan 1993 5 Nov 1997 Rwanda17 May 1993 31 Mar 2004 Samoa14 Jan 1993 27 Sep 2002 San Marino13 Jan 1993 10 Dec 1999 Sao Tome and Principe 9 Sep 2003 ASaudi Arabia20 Jan 1993 9 Aug 1996 Senegal13 Jan 1993 20 Jul 1998 Serbia<superscript>4</superscript>20 Apr 2000 aSeychelles15 Jan 1993 7 Apr 1993 Sierra Leone15 Jan 1993 30 Sep 2004 Singapore14 Jan 1993 21 May 1997 Slovakia14 Jan 1993 27 Oct 1995 Slovenia14 Jan 1993 11 Jun 1997 Solomon Islands23 Sep 2004 aSouth Africa14 Jan 1993 13 Sep 1995 Spain13 Jan 1993 3 Aug 1994 Sri Lanka14 Jan 1993 19 Aug 1994 St. Kitts and Nevis16 Mar 1994 21 May 2004 St. Lucia29 Mar 1993 9 Apr 1997 St. Vincent and the Grenadines20 Sep 1993 18 Sep 2002 Sudan24 May 1999 aSuriname28 Apr 1997 28 Apr 1997 Swaziland23 Sep 1993 20 Nov 1996 Sweden13 Jan 1993 17 Jun 1993 Switzerland14 Jan 1993 10 Mar 1995 Tajikistan14 Jan 1993 11 Jan 1995 Thailand14 Jan 1993 10 Dec 2002 The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia20 Jun 1997 aTimor-Leste 7 May 2003 aTogo13 Jan 1993 23 Apr 1997 Tonga29 May 2003 aTrinidad and Tobago24 Jun 1997 aTunisia13 Jan 1993 15 Apr 1997 Turkey14 Jan 1993 12 May 1997 Turkmenistan12 Oct 1993 29 Sep 1994 Tuvalu19 Jan 2004 aUganda14 Jan 1993 30 Nov 2001 Ukraine13 Jan 1993 16 Oct 1998 United Arab Emirates 2 Feb 1993 28 Nov 2000 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland<superscript>5</superscript>13 Jan 1993 13 May 1996 United Republic of Tanzania25 Feb 1994 25 Jun 1998 United States of America13 Jan 1993 25 Apr 1997 Uruguay15 Jan 1993 6 Oct 1994 Uzbekistan24 Nov 1995 23 Jul 1996 Vanuatu16 Sep 2005 aVenezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)14 Jan 1993 3 Dec 1997 Viet Nam13 Jan 1993 30 Sep 1998 Yemen 8 Feb 1993 2 Oct 2000 Zambia13 Jan 1993 9 Feb 2001 Zimbabwe13 Jan 1993 25 Apr 1997 AustriaDeclaration:<i>[Same declaration </i>, mutatis mutandis, <i>as the one made by Belgium.] </i>BelgiumDeclaration made upon signature and confirmed upon ratification:As a Member State of the European Community, the Government of Belgium will implement the provisions of the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, in accordance with its obligations arising from the rules of the Treaties establishing the European Communities to the extent that such rules are applicable.ChinaUpon signature:Declarations:" I. China has consistently stood for the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of all chemical weapons and their production facilities. The Convention constitutes the legal basis for the realization of this goal. China therefore supports the object and purpose and principles of the Convention.II. The object and purpose and principles of the Convention should be strictly abided by. The relevant provisions on challenge inspection should not be abused to the detriment of the security interests of States Parties unrelated to chemical weapons. Otherwise, the universality of the Convention is bound to be adversely affected.III. States Parties that have abandoned chemical weapons on the territories of other States parties should implement in earnest the relevant provisions of the Convention and undertake the obligation to destroy the abandoned chemical weapons.IV. The Convention should effectively facilitate trade, scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation in the field of chemistry for peaceful purposes. All export controls inconsistent with the Convention should be abolished."Upon ratification:Declarations:1. China has always stood for complete prohibition and thorough destruction of chemical weapons. As CWC has laid an international legal foundation for the realization of this goal, China supports the purpose, objectives and principles of the CWC.2. China calls upon the countries with the largest chemical weapons arsenals to ratify CWC without delay with a view to attaining its purposes and objectives at an early date.3. The purposes, objectives and principles of CWC should be strictly observed. The provisions concerning challenge inspection shall not be abused and the national security interests of States parties not related to chemical weapons shall not be compromised. China is firmly opposed to any act of abusing the verification provisions which endangers its sovereignty and security.4. Any country which has abandoned chemical weapons on the territory of another country should effectively implement the relevant CWC provisions, undertake the obligations to destroy those chemical weapons and ensure the earliest complete destruction of all the chemical weapons it has abandoned on another state's territory.5. CWC should play a sound role in promoting international trade, scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation for peaceful purposes in the field of chemical industry. It should become the effective legal basis for regulating trade and exchange among the states parties in the field of chemical industry.CubaDeclarations:The Government of the Republic of Cuba declares, in conformity with article III (a) (iii) of the Convention, that there is a colonial enclave in its territory - the Guantanamo Naval Base - a part of Cuban national territory over which the Cuban State does not exercise its rightful jurisdiction, owing to its illegal occupation by the United States of America by reason of a deceitful and fraudulent Treaty.Consequently, for the purposes of the Convention, the Government of the Republic of Cuba does not assume any responsibility with respect to the aforesaid territory, since it does not know whether or not the United States has installed, possesses, maintains or intends to possess chemical weapons in the part of Cuban territory that it illegally occupies.The Government of the Republic of Cuba also considers that it has the right to require that the entry of any inspection group mandated by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, to carry out in the territory of Guantanamo Naval Base the verification activities provided for in the Convention, should be effected through a point of entry in Cuban national territory to be determined by the Cuban Government.The Government of the Republic of Cuba considers that, under the provisions of article XI of the Convention, the unilateral application by a State party to the Convention against another State party of any restriction which would restrict or impede trade and the development and promotion of scientific and technological knowledge in the field of chemistry for industrial, agricultural, research, medical, pharmaceutical or other purposes not prohibited under the Convention, would be incompatible with the object and purpose of the Convention.The Government of Cuba designates the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, in its capacity as the national authority of the Republic of Cuba for the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction, as the body of the central administration of the State responsible for organizing, directing, monitoring and supervising the activities aimed at preparing the Republic of Cuba to fulfil the obligations it is assuming as a State party to the aforementioned Convention.DenmarkUpon signature:Declaration:<i>[Same declaration </i>, mutatis mutandis, <i>as the one made by Belgium.] </i>FranceUpon signature:Declaration:<i>[Same declaration </i>, mutatis mutandis, <i>as the one made by Belgium.] </i>GermanyDeclaration made upon signature and confirmed uponratification:[Same declaration, <i>mutatis mutandis </i>, as theone made by Belgium.]GreeceDeclaration made upon signature and confirmed uponratification:<i>[Same declaration </i>, mutatis mutandis, <i>as the one made by Belgium.] </i>Holy SeeDeclaration:[...] the Holy See, in conformity with the nature and particular condition of Vatican City State, intends to renew its encouragement to the International Community to continue on the path towards a situation of general and complete disarmament, capable of promoting peace and cooperation at world level.Dialogue and multilateral negotiation are essential values in this process. Through the instruments of international law, they facilitate the peaceful resolution of controversies and help better mutual understanding. In this way they promote the effective affirmation of the culture of life and peace.While not possessing chemical weapons of any kind, the Holy See accedes to the solemn act of ratification of the Convention in order to lend its moral support to this important area of international relations which seeks to ban weapons which are particularly cruel and inhuman and aimed at producing long-term traumatic effects among the defenceless civilian population."Iran (Islamic Republic of)Declarations:"The Islamic Republic of Iran, on the basis of the Islamic principles and beliefs, considers chemical weapons inhuman, and has consistently been on the vanguard of the international efforts to abolish these weapons and prevent their use.1. The Islamic Consultative Assembly (the Parliament) of the Islamic Republic of Iran approved the bill presented by the Government to join the [said Convention] on 27 July 1997, and the Guardian Council found the legislation compatible with the Constitution and the Islamic Tenets on 30 July 1997, in accordance with its required Constitutional process. The Islamic Consultative Assembly decided that:The Government is hereby authorized, at an appropriate time, to accede to the [said Convention] - as annexed to this legislation and to deposit its relevant instrument.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs must pursue in all negotiations and within the framework of the Organization of the Convention, the full and indiscriminate implementation of the Convention, particularly in the areas of inspection and transfer of technology and chemicals for peaceful purposes. In case the afore-mentioned requirements are not materialized, upon the recommendation of the Cabinet and approval of the Supreme National Security Council, steps aimed at withdrawing from the Convention will be put in motion.2. The Islamic Republic of Iran attaches vital significance to the full, unconditional and indiscriminate implementation of all provisions of the Convention. It reserves the right to withdraw from the Convention under the following circumstances:-- non-compliance with the principle of equal treatment of all States Parties in implementation of all relevant provisions of the Convention;-- disclosure of its confidential information contrary to the provisions of the Convention;-- imposition of restrictions incompatible with the obligations under the Convention.3. As stipulated in article XI, exclusive and non-transparent regimesimpeding free international trade in chemicals and chemical technology for peaceful purposes should be disbanded. The Islamic Republic of Iran rejects any chemical export control mechanism not envisaged in the Convention.4. The Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is the sole international authority to determine the compliance of States Parties regarding chemical weapons. Accusations by States Parties against other States Parties in the absence of a determination of non-compliance by OPCW will seriously undermine the Convention and its repetition may make the Convention meaningless.5. One of the objectives of the Convention as stipulated in its preamble is to `promote free trade in chemicals as well as international cooperation and exchange of scientific and technical information in the field of chemical activities for purposes not prohibited under the Convention in order to enhance the economic and technological development of all States Parties.' This fundamental objective of the Convention should be respected and embraced by all States Parties to the Convention. Any form of undermining, either in words or in action, of this overriding objective is considered by the Islamic Republic of Iran a grave breach of the provisions of the Convention.6. In line with the provisions of the Convention regarding non-discriminatory treatment of States Parties:- inspection equipment should be commercially available to all States Parties without condition or limitation.- the OPCW should maintain its international character by ensuring fair and balanced geographical distribution of the personnel of its Technical Secretariat, provision of assistance to and cooperation with States Parties, and equitable membership of States Parties in subsidiary organs of the Organization,7. The implementation of the Convention should contribute to international peace and security and should not in any way diminish or harm national security or territorial integrity of the States Parties."IrelandDeclaration made upon signature and confirmed uponratification:<i>[Same declaration </i>, mutatis mutandis, <i>as the one made by Belgium.] </i>ItalyDeclaration made upon signature and confirmed upon ratification:<i>[Same declaration </i>, mutatis mutandis, <i>as the one made by Belgium.] </i>LuxembourgDeclaration made upon signature and confirmed upon ratification:<i>[Same declaration </i>, mutatis mutandis, <i>as the one made by Belgium.] </i>NetherlandsUpon signature:Declaration:<i>[Same declaration </i>, mutatis mutandis, <i>as the one made by Belgium.] </i>PakistanDeclaration:"1. Pakistan has consistently stood for the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of all chemical weapons and their production facilities. The Convention constitutes an international legal framework for the realization of this goal. Pakistan, therefore, supports the objectives and purposes of the Convention.2. The objectives and purposes of the Convention must be strictly adhered to by all states. The relevant provisions on Challenge Inspections must not be abused to the detriment of the economic and security interests of the States Parties unrelated to chemical weapons. Otherwise, the universality and effectiveness of the Convention is bound to be jeopardized.3. Abuse of the verification provisions of the Convention, for purposes unrelated to the Convention, will not be acceptable. Pakistan will never allow its sovereignty and national security to be compromised.4. The Convention should effectively facilitate trade, scientific and technological exchanges and co-operation in the field of chemistry for peaceful purposes. All export control regimes inconsistent with the Convention must be abolished."PortugalDeclaration made upon signature and confirmed upon ratification:<i>[Same declaration </i>, mutatis mutandis, <i>as the one made by Belgium.] </i>SpainDeclaration made upon signature and confirmed upon ratification:<i>[Same declaration </i>, mutatis mutandis, <i>as the one made by Belgium.] </i> <i> </i> <i> </i>SudanDeclaration of understanding:“Firstly, the unilateral application by a State Party to the Convention, runs counter to the objectives and purposes of the Convention.Secondly, the Convention must be fully and indiscriminately implemented particularly in the areas of inspection and transfer of technology for peaceful purposes.Thirdly, no restrictions incompatible with the obligations under the Convention shall be imposed. Fourthly, the Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), is the sole international authority to determine the compliance of States Parties with the provisions of the Convention."United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandUpon signature:Declaration:<i>[Same declaration </i>, mutatis mutandis, <i>as the one made by Belgium.] </i> United States of America"Subject to the condition which relates to the Annex on Implementation and Verification, that no sample collected in the United States pursuant to the Convention will be transferred for analysis to any laboratory outside the territory of the United States."1<i> Official Records of the General Assembly, Forty-seventh session, Supplement No. 49 </i> (A/47/49), p. 54.2See note 1 under "Montenegro" in the "Historical Information" section in the front matter of this volume.3For the Kingdom in Europe. On 28 April 1997: For the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba.4See note 1 under “Serbia” in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.5On 26 October 2005, the Secretary-General received from the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland a notification stating that “... the United Kingdom’s ratification of the said Convention shall extend to the following territories for whose international relations the United Kingdom is responsible: Bailiwick of Guernsey, Bailiwick of Jersey, Isle of Man, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands, St Helena and Dependencies, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, Turks and Caicos Islands.” In this regard, on 14 November 2005, the Secretary-General received from the Government of Argentina, the following communcation: In that connection, the Argentine Republic rejects the declaration made by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland extending the territorial scope of the above-mentioned Convention1 to the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands which are an integral part of the Argentine national territory. It likewise rejects the British statement insofar as it refers to the intention to apply the said Convention to the so-called ‘British Antarctic Territory’ and affirms that that statement in no way affects the sovereign rights of the Argentine Republic over the Argentine Antarctic Sector which is an integral part of its national territory. In this connection, it is necessary to bear in mind the terms of article IV of the Antarctic Treaty, signed on 1 December 1959, to which the Argentine Republic and the United Kingdom are party. The Argentine Republic also recalls that the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding maritime areas are an integral part of the Argentine national territory and, since they are being illegally o the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, they form the subject of a sovereignty dispute between both parties, a fact acknowledged by several international bodies. On this matter, the General Assembly of the United Nations has adopted resolutions 2065 (XX), 3160 (XXVIII), 31/49, 37/9, 38/12, 39/6, 40/21, 41/40, 42/19 and 43/25, in which it recognizes the existence of the sovereignty dispute related to the ‘Question of the Malvinas Islands’ and urges the Governments of the Argentine Republic and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to resume negotiations with a view to finding a peaceful, just and lasting solution to the dispute as soon as possible. For its part, the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United Nations has repeatedly issued similar calls, most recently through the resolution adopted on 15 June 2005. The General Assembly of the Organization of American States also adopted a further declaration on the question on 7 June 2005. Further, on 29 December 2005, the Secretary-General received from the Government of Spain, the following communication with regard to the notification by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland of the extension of the territorial application of the said Convention to Gibraltar: “...the Kingdom of Spain considers that such an extension has been made exclusively inasmuch as Gibraltar is a territory for whose international relations the United Kingdom is responsible and, therefore, falls within the category of "any place under [the] jurisdiction or control [of a State Party]", according to the terminology used in the Convention. Therefore, the Kingdom of Spain considers that the circulation of the United Kingdom's notification in the above-mentioned terms does not prejudge in any way either the legal status of the territory nor the sovereignty claims that the Kingdom of Spain consistently maintains with regard to Gibraltar. On 27 April 2006, the Secretary-General received from the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland the following communication: “In accordance with instructions received from the Government, I have the honour to refer to the communication dated 30 November 2005 from the Government of Argentina to the United Nations relating to the extension of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and use of Chemical Weapons and their Destruction, to the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, and the British Antarctic Territory. The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are fully entitled to extend the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction to the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, and the British Antarctic Territory. The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland have no doubts about the sovereignty of the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, and the British Antarctic Territory, and their surrounding maritime areas, and reject the claim by the Government of Argentina to soverignty over those islands and areas and that the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are under illegal occupation by the United Kingdom.”