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On 30 September in Vilnius, a seminar, dedicated to the perspectives of international cooperation on solving the problem of sea-dumped chemical weapons, started. The two-day long international seminar is organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania.

The goal of the seminar is to remind about the threat of chemical weapons dumped at sea for the environment, health and safety of people. With the help of this event Lithuania seeks to encourage countries to exchange information on chemicals dumped at sea, results of scientific research and concrete advice on the neutralisation or reduction of this threat.

During the seminar, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Deividas Matulionis indicated that the issue of Dumped Chemical Weapons at Seas was an international and multifaceted problem.

‘Around 40 states have already acknowledged that a problem of sea-dumped chemical weapons directly or indirectly relates to them. Accordingly, greater awareness of the past disposals has triggered a growing concern among governments and the public about their potential risks to human health, safety, and the marine environment. In this regard, the Baltic Sea is not an exemption where a considerable amount of different chemical weapons have been dumped,’ said D.Matulionis.

At international forums Lithuania consistently raises the issue of sea-dumped chemical weapons. The Lithuanian delegation reminded about these topical issues again on the occasion of marking the tenth anniversary of adopting the Chemical Weapons Convention. This year during the Second Review Conference of the Chemical Weapons Convention the Lithuanian delegation submitted a document, encouraging countries to voluntarily cooperate and to exchange information on sea-dumped chemical weapons. It is expected that this event will give another impetus to find appropriate ways of international cooperation on this important issue.

‘Lithuania is of the opinion that the challenges posed by sea-dumped chemical weapons should receive a broader coverage within international organizations and frameworks,’ said D.Matulionis.

Representatives from 27 countries, which are members of the United Nations, European Union, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (or Helsinki Commission), are taking part in the seminar. Representatives from non-governmental organisations and private companies, dealing with the issue of sea-dumped chemical weapons, are also participating in the seminar.

Research that was carried out in many countries demonstrates that chemical weapons are dumped at the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Mediterranean Sea, the North Sea, the Baltic Sea and in other seas. It is known that after the World War II, about 40,000 tons of chemical weapons were dumped at the Baltic Sea. There are about 13,000 tons of toxic warfare materials in the composition of these chemical weapons.