Ratifying the Chemical Weapons Convention

A new global treaty banning chemical weapons has been signed by over 150 countries and is due to enter into force sometime in 1995. This volume reviews the ongoing work of a preparatory commission meeting in The Hague to create the new "Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons", with special focus on verification issues and problems that may delay its entry into force. The text assesses challenges for the United States in implementing its treaty commitments, looking specifically at strategies for the destruction of the US stockpile of chemical weapons. It reviews key issues in the ratification debates within the US Senate and in parliaments overseas, such as the costs, verifiability of the required actions, and the general value of the convention.