| www.chinaview.cn 2004-05-28 05:27:42 |
BRUSSELS, May 27 (Xinhuanet) -- The Secretariat of the Basel Convention and the Technical Secretariat of the Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation at working levels.
The two secretariats signed the agreement at the OPCW headquarters in The Hague of the Netherlands on Wednesday, according to an OPCW press release received here on Thursday.
Under the agreement, bilateral cooperation will mainly focus onmatters relating to enhanced national implementation of both Conventions.
They will share expertise to avoid duplication of efforts, to explore synergy between their international cooperation projects and capacity building activities where the two secretariats can complement each other's expertise and limited resources.
"Both secretariats will build and strengthen their relations through this collaborative effort and we are thrilled by the role the thirteen Basel Convention Regional Centers around the world will play in the furtherance of expertise and cooperation at the regional level," Sachiko Kuwabara-Yamamoto, the executive secretary of the Basel Convention Secretariat, was quoted as saying.
OPCW Director-General Rogelio Pfirter emphasized at the signing ceremony that the signing of the agreement is an important initiative "through which both secretariats can effectively cooperate to achieve the goals of each Convention."
The Basel Convention deals with issues relating to the control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal.OPCW is designed to eliminate chemical weapons and to prevent their re-emergence. Enditem