1094_

II SÉRIE-A — NÚMERO 55

CONVENTION ON THE PROHIBITION OF THE DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCTION, STOCKPILING AND USE OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND ON THEIR DESTRUCTION.

Preamble

The States Parties to this Convention:

Determined to act with a view to achieving effective progress towards general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control, including the prohibition and elimination of all types of weapons of mass destruction;

Desiring to contribute to the realization of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations;

Recalling that the General Assembly of the United Nations has repeatedly condemned all actions contrary to the principles and objectives of the Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or Other Gases, and Bacteriological Methods of Warfare, signed at Geneva on 17 June 1925 (the Geneva Protocol of 1925);

Recognizing that this Convention reaffirms principles and objectives of and obligations assumed under the Geneva Protocol of 1925, and the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction signed at London, Moscow and Washington on 10 April 1972;

Bearing in mind the objective contained in article tx of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction;

Determined for the sake of all mankind, to exclude completely the possibility of the use of chemical weapons, through the implementation of the provisions of this Convention, thereby complementing the obligations assumed under the Geneva Protocol of 1925;

Recognizing the prohibition, embodied in the pertinent agreements and relevant principles of international law, of the use of herbicides as a method of warfare;

Considering that achievements in the field of chemistry should be used exclusively for the benefit of mankind;

Desiring 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 this Convention in order to enhance the economic and technological development of all States Parties;

Convinced that the complete and effective prohibition of the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, retention, transfer and use of chemical weapons, and their destruction, represent a necessary step towards the achievement of these common objectives;

have agreed as follows:

Article I General obligations

1 — Each State Party to this Convention undertakes never under any circumstances:

a) To develop, produce, otherwise acquire, stockpile or retain chemical weapons, or transfer, directly or indirectly, chemical weapons lo anyone;

b) To use chemical weapons;

c) To engage in any military preparations to use chemical weapons;

d) To assist, encourage or induce, in any way, anyone to engage in any activity prohibited to a State Party under this Convention.

2 — Each State Party undertakes to destroy chemical weapons it owns or possesses, or that are located any place under its jurisdiction or control, in accordance with the provisions of this Convention.

3 — Each State Party undertakes to destroy all chemical weapons it abandoned on the territory of another State Party, in accordance with provisions of this Convention.

4 — Each State Party undertakes to destroy any chemical weapons production facilities it( owns or possesses, or that are located in any place under its jurisdiction or control, in accordance with the provisions of this Convention.

5 — Each State Party undertakes not to use riot control agents as a method of warfare.

RESOLUÇÃO

APROVA, PARA RATIFICAÇÃO, A CONVENÇÃO SOBRE A PROIBIÇÃO DO DESENVOLVIMENTO, PRODUÇÃO, ARMAZENAGEM E UTILIZAÇÃO DE ARMAS QUÍMICAS E SOBRE A SUA DESTRUIÇÃO, ABERTA À ASSINATURA EM 13 DE JANEIRO DE 1993, EM PARIS.

A Assembleia da República resolve, nos termos dos artigos 164.°, alínea j), e k>9.°, n.° 5. da Constituição, aprovar, para ratificação, a Convenção sobre a Proibição do Desenvolvimento, Produção, Armazenagem e Utilização de Armas Químicas e sobre a Sua Destruição, aberta à assinatura em 13 de Janeiro de 1993, em Paris, e que incorpora os Anexos sobre os Produtos Químicos, sobre Implementação e Verificação e sobre a Protecção de Informações Confidenciais, cuja versão autêntica em língua inglesa e a respectiva tradução para português seguem em anexo.

Aprovada em 9 de Maio de 1996.

O Presidente da Assembleia da República, António de Almeida Santos.