Training courses, seminars, support of regional cooperation

In cooperation with the Technical Secretariat, the Czech Republic has participated (through its Na­tional Authority) since a long time in improvement of capacities of the Technical Secretariat of the OPCW and States Parties in the field of assistance and protection against chemical weapons (2-3 courses annually) and enhancement of regional cooperation of National Authorities responsible for the implementation of the Convention.

Activities of the Czech Republic for the benefit of the OPCW in the period 1997-2002 included one Phase of training of international inspectors in Synthesia Pardubice on 17 - 24 May 1997, Training of the OPCW inspectors and experts selected from States Parties for the case of investigation of al­leged use of chemical weapons on 9 - 24 April 1999 in the Institute for Expertises and Emergencies, Pribram and in the Military Technical Institute of Protection, Brno, Training of States Parties ex­perts in the protection against chemical weapons on 9 - 15 August 1999 and 25 February to 1 March 2002 in the Civil Defence Institute Lazne Bohdanec, First exercise of the OPCW inspectors for the case of investigation of alleged use of chemical weapons on 16 - 21 October 1999 in the Military Academy, Vyskov and in the Military Technical Institute of Protection, Brno and Test training of the OPCW inspectors for the work with live agents in October 2000 and in April 2002 in the Mili­tary Technical Institute of Protection, Brno.

An increased number of activities took place during the Czech Chairmanship in the Executive Coun­cil. In the period 5/2003-5/2004, the Czech Republic, in cooperation with the Technical Secretariat, hold 3 training courses aimed at the protection against chemical weapons, organised a meeting of representatives of the National Authorities of the Eastern European Group and participated in the organisation of the Fifth International Chemical Weapons Demilitarisation Conference.

On 28 March - 4 April 2003, Exercise on investigation of alleged use of chemical weapons took place in the training area of the Army of the Czech Republic in Vyskov. Its aim was investigation of al­leged use of chemical weapons by non State Party to the Convention upon the request of the State Party in compliance with Art. X, paragraph 9 of the Convention. Thirty-one OPCW inspectors and more than 50 persons on behalf of the Czech side participated in the exercise. The course of the exercise was evaluated very positively both in the terms of organisation and practical training.

On 12 - 16 May 2003, Chemical Weapons Civil Defence Training Course took place in the Institute of Protection of Population in Lazne Bohdanec. 18 experts from 14 States Parties to the Convention participating in this course were provided with an essential information on the protection against chemical weapons, detection and decontamination of chemical warfare agents. The same training course took place on 17 - 23 May 2004. Since 2002 have been costs for organization of this course, except for travel-costs and allowance of participants covered by the Technical Secretariat, born by the Czech Republic.

On 29 June - 2 July 2003, hold the Czech Republic, in cooperation with the Technical Secretariat of the OPCW, in the framework of the support of the regional cooperation the Second Meeting of the representatives of National Authorities from Eastern and Central Europe responsible for imple­mentation of the Convention. The main subject of this meeting held in Rez near Prague was dis­cussion and information exchange on national implementation in the states of the Eastern Euro­pean Regional Group, on the role of National Authorities and related support projects and on necessary steps leading to implementation of conclusions of the First Review Conference regarding implementation of the Convention on the national level. The meeting included a visit in the Na­tional Institute for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Protection in Pribram where the participants were acquainted with the concept of assistance provided by the Czech Republic according to Art. X of the Convention. Apart from representatives of National Authorities from the Eastern European Regional Group and the Technical Secretariat, the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole of the First Review Conference participated in the meeting as well as representatives of National Authori­ties of some Western European countries and the U.S.A. All participants rated the meeting as a sig­nificant contribution to the improvement of implementation of the Convention and experience ex­change in this field.

On 20 - 23 May 2003, the Fifth International Chemical Weapons Demilitarisation Conference took place in Prague. The conference focusing on the questions relating to the chemical disarmament is­sues was organised by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory of the Ministry of Defence of Great Britain, Porton Down under an active assistance of the State Office for Nuclear Safety, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic and Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic. The Director-General of the Technical Secretariat of the OPCW Mr. Rogelio Pfirter participated in this conference and, on this occasion, visited also the State Office for Nuclear Safety, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Institute for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Protection, and got acquainted with the status of implementation of the Convention in the Czech Republic.

On 16 - 20 May 2005, Institute for the Protection of Citizens located in Lázně Bohdaneč in cooperation with the Techical Secretariat of OPCW organized "Chemical Weapons Civil Defence Training Course". Fifteen specialists from fourteen States Parties participated in the course. They were provided with basic information on the protection against chemical weapons and detection and decontamination of chemical warfare agents. The costs of the course were fully covered by the Czech Republic; specialists of OPCW and from the Czech Republic gave lectures.

From 28th August to 3rd September 2005, VOP-026 Šternberg, s.p., division of Military Technical Institute for the Protection, in Brno organized a training course for the inspectors of the Technical Secretariat of OPCW with live agenst. Twenty-five inspectors took part in the training course; detection, identification and decontamination of chemical warfare agents were trained.

Experts from the Czech Republic, having status of observers, participated in the major field exercise "Joint Assistance 2005" in Ukraine.

In 2006, the Czech Republic organized Chemical Weapons Civil Defence Training Course for experts from 19 States Parties (Lázně Bohdaneč) on the protection against chemical weapons and a training course for 25 inspectors of the Technical Secretariat of OPCW on the handling live agents (VTÚO Brno).

In May 2007, advanced form of the Chemical Weapons Civil Defence Training Course was organized in Lázně Bohdaneč.

In April 2008, Annual Assistance Coordination Workshop was held in Prague, hosted by the National Authority of the Czech Republic, State Office for Nuclear Safety.

In 2008, the Czech Republic has offered the Technical Secretariat to provide the OPCW inspectors with Toxic Chemical Training.

Participation of Czech research institutes in the OPCW activities

Research institutes of the Czech Republic take part in professional activities of the OPCW also through participation in proficiency tests of analytical laboratories, contribution to the OPCW cen­tral analytical data base and testing of protective equipment against chemical warfare agents. Products offered by some Czech companies were included in the approved equipment of inspection team of the OPCW.

Voluntary financial contribution of the Czech Republic to the Trust Fund for Implementation of Article X - Assistance and Protection

In the framework of its long-term active support of improvement of capacities of OPCW and States Parties in assistance and protection against chemical weapons, the Czech Republic made, for the first time in 2004, a volun­tary financial contribution amounting 1,5 mil. CZK (approx. 45.000 euro) to the OPCW Trust Fund for Implementation of Article X - Assistance and Protection. The same amount was provided also in 2005; in 2006 the amount increased to 2 mil. CZK. The funds were used to launch a long-term capacity-building project for the East African Region. The first, planning meeting was held in Nairobi, Kenya in June 2007 and was followed by a workshop held in Kampala, Uganda in October 2007 and practical training provided in May 2008 in the Czech Republic. In 2008, the Government of the Czech Republic is to provide its next voluntary contribution amounting again 2 mil CZK. The contribution is to be used to finance next phases of the long-term capacity-building project for the East African Region.

Financial contribution to the destruction of chemical weapons in the Russian Federation

In 2003 the Czech Republic made for the first time a financial contribution of 2 mil. Czech Crowns (approx. 63. 000 euro) to the destruction of chemical weapons in the Russian Fede­ration and joined thus other donor countries assisting the Russian Federation with destruction of its chemical weapons. This contribution was used for the construction of key electricity substation that will support operation of the destruction facility at Shchuchye in which substantial part of Russian chemical weapons of Category 1 should be destroyed. The contribution was provided to the Russian side through the bilateral agreement between United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Russian Federation on assistance in destruction of chemical weapons in the Russian Federation. Information on the contribution of the Czech Republic appeared several times in professional papers, e.g. "The CBW Conventions Bulletin", "The G8 Global Partnership" or in the report "Delays in Implementing the Chemical Weapons Convention Raise Concerns About Pro­liferation" issued by the US General Accounting Office. The same amount was provided in the year 2004, 2005 and 2006.

Financial contribution to the work of the SAB and its temporary working groups

In July 2008, the Government of the Czech Republic provided a voluntary contribution representing 700 000 CZK to support activities of the SAB temporary working group on Sampling and Analysis.