US to Eliminate Last Declared Chemical Weapons Stockpile in Coming Weeks - OPCW
© AP Photo / Brennan Linsley
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The United States is expected to eliminate the remaining declared chemical weapons stockpile under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) in the coming weeks, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said Thursday.
The US Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives said earlier on Thursday that the stockpile of chemical weapons stored at the US Army Pueblo Chemical Depot has been safely destroyed.
"The United States has announced the completion of destruction activities at its Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. In the coming weeks it is expected that the last declared chemical weapons stockpile in Blue Grass, Kentucky will be eliminated," the OPCW tweeted.
The organization added that its stringent verification regime gives the international community confidence in chemical weapons destruction results.
The CWC went into effect in 1997 and prohibits the use, development, production, stockpiling and transfer of chemical weapons and agents to other countries. So far, 197 states have become parties to the convention.
In 2022, the US announced it was on track to destroy its chemical weapons stockpiles by September 30, 2023.
Russia eliminated its stockpiles of chemical weapons by September 27, 2017.
