The Russian commission responsible for overseeing efforts to dispose of Russian chemical weapons has requested that funding for the effort be tripled this year, the Associated Press reported today (see GSN, June 5).

Commission members support a request by the agency conducting the disposal effort for increased funding, said commission Chairman Sergei Kiriyenko.  Moscow has allocated more than $160 million in this year’s budget for chemical weapons disposal, AP reported.

In 1997, Russian officials agreed to destroy its chemical weapons stockpile by 2007.  However, officials now say they will need a five-year extension, according to AP.  To date, Russia has destroyed only 1 percent of its chemical arsenal (Associated Press, June 10).

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