OPCW Director General Visits Monterey

On February 27, 2012, the Monterey Institute of International Studies (MIIS) and the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies hosted the Director General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), H.E. Mr. Ahmet Üzümcü.

The Director General, accompanied by his chef de cabinet Mr. Robert Fairweather, met with Dr. William Potter, Ambassador Aruni Wijewardane, and other senior members of the Center. They exchanged ideas and discussed possible areas of future cooperation between the OPCW and CNS. Most notably, the Director-General emphasized the benefits of cooperation in the field of education and training.

Ambassador Üzümcü and Mr. Fairweather then spoke to an audience of MIIS students, teachers, and researchers. The Ambassador's talk was entitled "What Role Should the OPCW Play in a Multi-Agency Response to Alleged Use of CW, and What Have We Learned from Our Recent Experiences in Working with Libya?" The Director-General began with a brief history of the OPCW and its accomplishments, and proceeded to illustrate the role that the OPCW played in securing and verifying the chemical weapons stockpile in Libya after the Qadhafi regime fell.

Following his talk he stayed for a stimulating question and answer session, and the evening ended with a small reception.