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On 15 October, permanent representative of Lithuania to the United Nations Dalius Čekuolis and permanent representative of Lithuania to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons Vaidotas Verba met with United Nations High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Sergio de Queiroz Duarte.

During the meeting, Lithuania’s representatives informed S.Duarte about the seminar on the issues of chemical weapons dumped at sea that is organised by Lithuania on 16 October.

Ambassador V.Verba drew S.Duarte’s attention to the constantly increasing anxiety regarding the ecological, health, security and economic consequences of the sea-dumped chemical weapons, a goal of preventing the threat of terrorism, highlighted the necessity to strengthen international and regional cooperation on this issue and to voluntarily exchange information, experience and technologies in this area.

Lithuania organises the above-mentioned seminar during the meeting of the UN General Assembly Committee on Disarmament and International Security. Representatives from the United Nations Office for the Disarmament Affairs, experts from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the UN General Assembly Committee on Disarmament and International Security and representatives from nongovernmental organisations will take part in the meeting.

Ambassador V.Verba emphasized that in 2010 Lithuania was going to present a resolution on sea-dumped chemical weapons at the UN First Committee of the General Assembly. Lithuania’s representatives were assured by the UN Secretary General’s High Representative that the United Nations Office for the Disarmament Affairs supported this initiative of Lithuania.