United States:  Army Creates New Demilitarization Agency

The U.S. Army announced last week the creation of the Chemical Materials Agency, which will take control of the formerly separate tasks of storing chemical weapons and destroying them, according to the Associated Press (see GSN, Jan. 3). 

The Army is expected to take control of the new agency by October and Michael Parker, deputy commander of the Solider Biological and Chemical Command, which currently oversees chemical weapons storage, has been selected as the new agency’s acting director, AP reported.

“The CMA brings all the parties under one roof necessary to carry out the mission of the safe storage and elimination of obsolete and aging chemical weapons,” Parker said in a press statement.

The Chemical Weapons Working Group, a watchdog organization that has criticized the Army’s chemical weapons destruction efforts, praised the creation of the CMA and Parker’s appointment as its head.

“If it’s salvageable, this is the best shot we’ve had in 20 years to get it right,” said Craig Williams, director of the group.  “Mr. Parker’s record reflects a real sensitivity to shooting straight, meaningful community involvement, straight-forwardness with the Congress and all the attributes necessary,” he added (Jeffrey McMurray, Associated Press/Tuscaloosa News, Feb. 21).

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U.S. Response:  Pentagon Boosts Protective Suit Production

The Pentagon has increased the production of new chemical and biological protective suits by more than 10,000 units per month, according to Pete Aldridge, the Defense Department’s acquisition chief (see GSN, Nov. 27, 2002).

Congressional officials have criticized the Pentagon for deploying soldiers with older, bulky suits that in some cases have proven defective (see GSN, Oct. 2, 2002).

As of December, defense contractors are producing 90,000 of the lighter and more effective suits per month, up from 79,000 per month.  Each soldier being deployed to the Persian Gulf region is given two of the new suits.

“As the inventory builds up, they will be given more, but that’s sufficient for the time being,” Aldridge said.  “I don’t know what more we can do.  We’d like them to have four,” he added.

The Pentagon had received 1.8 million of the new Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology suits by the end of January, Bloomberg.com reported.  The suit, which is worn over combat clothing, is designed to last up to 45 days and can go through six cleanings.  After a chemical or biological attack the suit provides 24 hours of protection, Bloomberg.com reported (Tony Capaccio, Bloomberg.com, Feb. 20).

Meanwhile in Washington, Pentagon security officials will begin distributing emergency escape hoods to building employees Monday, the Associated Press reported.

The hoods provide protection from a chemical or biological attack for about one hour, AP reported.

The Pentagon has also positioned chemical, biological and radiological sensors inside and outside the building, and samples are tested daily, according to officials (Pauline Jelinek, Associated Press/Philadelphia Inquirer, Feb. 21).

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Serbia:  British Experts Inspect Serbian Chemical Factory

British experts inspected a chemical factory in Serbia Monday to decide if the facility was producing chemical weapons.

Experts were given access to the entire factory, were given chemical formulas of the factory’s products and took pictures of the facility, Belgrade’s RTS TV reported.

Prvoslav Davinic, head of the Serbian organization responsible for implementing the Chemical Weapons Convention, supported the visit and said it would be a positive step (Belgrade RTS TV/BBC Monitoring, Feb. 17).

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CWC:  Palau, Guatemala Join Treaty

Palau and Guatemala recently ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention and deposited their instruments of ratification with the United Nations.  Palau deposited on Feb. 3 and Guatemala on Feb. 12 (see GSN, Dec. 16, 2002).  When their accessions take effect 30 days after their deposits, the two will officially become 149th and 150th parties to the treaty (Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons release, Feb. 19).

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North Korea:  Ship of Missile Fame Brings Home Tons of CW Precursor

North Korea received a chemical shipment Thursday that could be used to manufacture the nerve sarin, the Washington Times reported today.  The shipment from Germany arrived at the west coast seaport of Nampo on the same ship that delivered Scud missiles to Yemen in December (see GSN, Dec. 16, 2002).

After delivering those missiles, the North Korean ship, the So San, sailed to Germany where it took on several tons of sodium cyanide, a dual-use chemical that can be used peacefully to produce pesticides and plastics, U.S. intelligence officials said.

Sodium cyanide is controlled by the Australia Group, an informal export control regime intended to prevent chemical weapon proliferation (see GSN, June 21, 2002).  Germany is a member of the 34-nation group, but an embassy spokesman could not be reached for comment.

On arrival in port, So San Captain Kang Cholryong discussed the December missile incident when Spanish forces detained the ship laden with Scud missiles bound for Yemen.  After U.S. officials decided the shipment was legal, the ship was permitted to make its delivery.

Kang told the Korean Central News Agency that his crew had tried to set his ship on fire and sink it, but was prevented by commandos who boarded the ship from helicopters (Bill Gertz, Washington Times, Feb. 18).

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