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II SÉRIE-A — NÚMERO 55

the State Party shall declare whatever information is still available to it and provide an explanation as to why it cannot submit a full declaration.

Submission of the general plan for destruction of chemical weapons

6 — The general plan for destruction of chemical weapons submitted pursuant to article hi, paragraph 1, a), v), shall provide an overview of the entire national chemical weapons destruction programme of the State Party and information on the efforts of the State Party to fulfil the destruction requirements contained in this Convention. The plan shall specify:

a) A general schedule for destruction, giving types and approximate quantities of chemical weapons planned to be destroyed in each annual destruction period for each existing chemical weapons destruction facility and, if possible, for each planned chemical weapons destruction facility;

b) The number of chemical weapons destruction facilities existing or planned to be operated over the destruction period;

c) For each existing or planned chemical weapons destruction facility:

i) Name and location; and //) The types and approximate quantities of chemical weapons, and the type (for example, nerve agent or blister agent) and approximate quantity of chemical fill, to be destroyed;

d) The plans and programmes for training personnel for the operation of destruction facilities;

e) The national standards for safety and emissions that the destruction facilities must satisfy;

f) Information on the development of new methods for destruction of chemical weapons and on the improvement of existing methods;

g) The cost estimates for destroying the chemical weapons; and

h) Any issues which could adversely impact on the national destruction programme.

B — Measures to secure the storage facility and storage facility preparation

7 — Not later than when submitting its declaration of chemical weapons, a State Party shall take such measures as it considers appropriate to secure its storage facilities and shall prevent any movement of its chemical weapons out of the facilities, except their removal for destruction.

8 — A State Party shall ensure that chemical weapons at its storage facilities are configured to allow ready access for verification in accordance with paragraphs 37 to 49.

9 — While a storage facility remains closed for any movement of chemical weapons out of the facility other than their removal for destruction, a State Party may continue at the facility standard maintenance activities, including standard maintenance of chemical weapons; safety monitoring and physical security activities; and preparation of chemical weapons for destruction.

10 — Maintenance activities of chemical weapons shall not include:

a) Replacement of agent or of munition bodies;

b) Modification of the original characteristics of munitions, or parts or components thereof.

11 — All maintenance activities shall be subject to monitoring by the Technical Secretariat.

C — Destruction Principles and methods for destruction of chemical weapons

12 — «Destruction of chemical weapons» means a process by which chemicals are converted in an essentially irreversible way to a form unsuitable for production of chemical weapons, and which in an irreversible manner renders munitions and other devices unusable as such.

13 — Each State Party shall determine how it shall destroy chemical weapons, except that the following processes may not be used: dumping in any body of water, land burial or open-pit burning. It shall destroy chemical weapons only at specifically designated and appropriately designed and equipped facilities.

14 — Each State Party shall ensure that its chemical weapons destruction facilities are constructed and operated in a manner to ensure the destruction of the chemical weapons; and that the destruction process can be verified under the provisions of this Convention.

Order of destruction

15 — The order of destruction of chemical weapons is based on the obligations specified in article l and the. oVVsax articles, including obligations regarding systematic on-site verification. It takes into account interests of States Parties for undiminished security during the destruction period; confidence-building in the early part of the destruction stage; gradual acquisition of experience in the course of destroying chemical weapons; and applicability irrespective of the actual composition of the stockpiles and the methods chosen for the destruction of the chemical weapons. The order of destruction is based on the principle of levelling out.

16 — For the purpose of destruction, chemicai ■*j declared by each State Party shall be divided into three categories:

Category 1: chemical weapons on the basis of schedule 1 chemicals and their parts and components;

Category 2: chemical weapons on the basis of all other chemicals and their parts and components;

Category 3: unfilled munitions and devices, and equipment specifically designed for use directly in connection with employment of chemical weapons.

17 — A State Party shall start:

a) The destruction of category 1 chemical weapons not later than two years after this CovivetvtYOTA enters into force for it, and shall complete the destruction not later than 10 years after entry into force of this Convention. A State Party shall destroy chemical weapons in accordance with the following destruction deadlines: