Thursday, October 2, Vilnius – Today President of the Republic of Lithuania met with the Director General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Ambassador Mr. Rogelio Pfirter.

Thursday, October 2, Vilnius – Today President of the Republic of Lithuania met with the Director General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Ambassador Mr. Rogelio Pfirter.
 
The President thanked the Ambassador for his personal contribution in strengthening the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and underlined the important role of the Organisation towards international security and stability. President Adamkus drew the OPCW Director General's attention not only to the issue of destruction of stockpiles of chemical weapons but also to the related environmental problems that become increasingly painful.

“To me, who has worked in the environmental field for a long time, the issue of chemical munitions dumped in the Baltic Sea after World War II has been a concern for several decades. This issue has been somewhat ignored for a long time but large infrastructural projects planned in the Baltic Sea remind us once again of the danger that threatens the whole region,” President Adamkus said.

The President pointed out that this important issue should receive special attention not only from the Baltic Sea coastal countries but also from international organisations. 
 
“It is important that the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons shows care for the problem of chemical munitions dumped in the Baltic Sea, if we want to have the Baltic Sea safe and clean and to protect the environment of the coastal countries,” President Adamkus stressed. 
 
Ambassador R. Pfirter expressed thanks to President Adamkus for Lithuania's understanding and support to the activities of the Organisation and for Lithuania's contribution in implementing the Chemical Weapons Convention.