18 February 2003
Former Egyptian leader, Gamal Abdel Nasser, is compared to Saddam Hussein and vilified for hiring Nazi scientists to develop chemical weapons.
—Arnaud de Borchgrave, "Geopolitical Glass Houses," United Press International, 18 February 2003, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>.

February-March 2003
Documents obtained in the course of UNMOVIC inspections in Iraq show that Egypt's state-owned Abu Zaabal Special Chemicals Co. delivered 1,300 tons of nerve-gas precursors to Iraq during the 1980s. Abu Zaabal also delivered 200 tons of hydrogen cyanide to Iraq in 1984, according to the Iraqis.
—Kenneth R. Timmerman, "Eurobiz is caught arming Saddam," Insight on the News, Vol. 19, Feb. 18-Mar. 3, 2003, pp. 30-34.

14 April 2003
Speaking with reporters, Osama al-Baz, a close adviser of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, states that there is "a great difference between Syria and Iraq under Saddam Hussein." He adds that Egypt is sure that Syria does not have chemical weapons.
—"Egypt rejects US pressure on Syria over alleged chemical weapons," Agence France Presse, 15 April 2003, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>.

15 April 2003
Speaking in Cairo, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher responds to a reporter's question about proposed U.S. sanctions on Syria related to that country's alleged pursuit of chemical weapons with the following statement: "Egypt rejects all threats against an Arab state." He also states, "we feel threats are not an appropriate way of dealing with a problem, if there really is one." Responding to speculation that the United States might be considering military action against Syria now that it has concluded the initial conquest of Iraq, Maher says "Arab countries and the international community are unanimous on [the need] to avoid what happened in Iraq being repeated once again."
—"Egypt rejects US pressure on Syria over alleged chemical weapons," Agence France Presse, 15 April 2003, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>.

22 May 2003
Egyptian biologist Dr. Wajdi Abd-al-Fattah Sawahil claims that Israel uses chemical drugs to torture and elicit information from Palestinian detainees and is using gases on Palestinians that lead to infertility.
—Jamal al-Majaydah, "Egyptian Scientist: Israel produces viruses that attack Palestinians only," 22 May 2003, FBIS document GMP20030522000144, <http://www.fbis.gov>.

16 October 2003
Speaking in Putrajaya, Malaysia, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher describes impending U.S. moves to apply sanctions on Syria as inappropriate and unjustifiable. The United States is considering sanctions against Syria "for its alleged ties to terrorist groups and purported efforts to obtain nuclear, biological and chemical weapons."
—"Egypt denounces US moves to sanction Syria," Agence France Presse, 16 October 2003, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>.

12 December 2003
The Jerusalem Post carries a major report on Egypt's military build-up. It notes that Egypt's stocks of chemical and biological weapons and its advanced ballistic missile capability remain a large threat to Israel. The report says that according to Dr. Dany Shoham of the Bar-Ilan University's Begin Sadat Center, the Egyptian chemical arsenal includes VX, sarin, mustard gas, and lewisite. The report adds that Egypt has varied means of dispersal for these weapons, including chemical mines, artillery shells, aerial bombs, and advanced ballistic missile systems.
—Caroline B. Glick, "A grave and gathering threat," Jerusalem Post, 12 December 2003, p. 1, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>.

20 December 2003
Ahmad Abu-Zayd, Chairman of Egypt's People's Assembly Arab Affairs Committee, urges Israel and all Mideast countries to follow Libya's example and dismantle their WMD programs. In a clear reference to Israel, Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmad Maher underlines the point observing: "[w]e welcome Libya's decision and hope other countries in the region follow suit. You, of course, know who we mean."
—"Egyptian official urges Israel to dismantle nuclear, chemical Weapons," BBC Monitoring, 20 December 2003, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>; "Roundup: Libyan rejection of WMD welcomed by world leaders," Deutsche Presse-Agentur, 20 December 2003.

24 December 2003
Following a summit meeting in the town of Sharm El-Sheikh, the presidents of Egypt and Syria issue a joint statement that includes language on the issue of WMD. "The two presidents underlined their call to eliminate weapons of mass destruction from the region and to work jointly to achieve this goal within the framework of the United Nations and other international bodies. Events in the region have shown the importance of making the Middle East, Israel included, a region free from all WMD." The statement makes no mention of alleged WMD in either Egypt or Syria and is generally perceived as directed at Israel.
—"Egypt, Syria presidents urge mideast free of weapons of mass destruction," Agence France Presse, 24 December 2003, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>.

May 2004
The Director-General of the OPCW, H.E. Mr. Rogelio Pfirter, has "bilateral contacts with representatives of . . . Egypt based in The Hague." These meetings are conducted as part of efforts to expand the membership of the Chemical Weapons Convention.
—Note By The Director-General: Information On The Implementation Of The Action Plan For The Universality Of The Chemical Weapons Convention S/431/2004, Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, 24 June 2004, p. 2, <http://www.opcw.org/docs/s431_2004.pdf>.

5-7 May 2004
A representative of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Relations attends a workshop in Malta jointly organized by the Maltese government and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) aimed at promoting universal adherence to the Chemical Weapons Convention. Israel has not yet ratified the CWC which it signed in 1993.
—Chemical Disarmament Quarterly, Vol. 2, No. 2 (June 2004), p. 24.

7 June 2004
The United Kingdom releases its annual report on the application of strategic export controls in 2003. The report notes the legitimate export of a variety of restricted items to to Egypt; unspecified "toxic chemical precursors," "civil NBC protection clothing, NBC respirators, NBC clothing, NBC filters."
—United Kingdom Strategic Export Controls, Annual Report 2003 (June 2004), pp. 123, <http://www.fco.gov.uk/Files/kfile/Full_Report_03.pdf>.

28 January 2005
The United Kingdom releases its third quarterly report on Strategic Export Controls, covering the period 1 July to 30 September 2004. The report notes the issuing of licenses for the export to Egypt of "NBC respirators, components for NBC respirators, NBC clothing, NBC decontamination equipment, chemical agent detection equipment, [and] civil NBC protection clothing."
— Strategic Export Controls: Quarterly Report - July to September 2004, (January 2005), p. 36, <http://www.fco.gov.uk/Files/kfile/strategicexportcontrolsjulsep2004.pdf>.

13 to 15 June 2005
For the second year in succession a representative of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Relations attends a workshop jointly organized by the Republic of Cyprus and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) aimed at promoting universal adherence to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). The Second Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) Regional Workshop on a Universal Chemical Weapons Ban in the Mediterranean Basin and the Middle East takes place in Nicosia, Cyprus. The meeting brings together representatives of twenty-three States Parties, seven States that have not ratified or acceded to the CWC, the European Union, the League of Arab States and Egypt. The aim of the workshop is to promote awareness among participating states of the problems commonly encountered in seeking to achieve full and uniform compliance with the Convention’s obligations. In addition, it provides practical measures to help reach this goal.
—“Cyprus Workshop on a Universal Chemical Weapons Ban in the Mediterranean Basin and the Middle East,” Chemical Disarmament Quarterly, Vol. 3, No. 2 (June 2005), p. 12.

6 to 8 September 2005
The third [see 20-22 Sep 04] regional meeting for national authorities of Chemical Weapons Convention states parties in Asia is held in Tehran, Iran. The meeting is organized jointly by the Iranian government and the OPCW. In addition to a large number of participants from regional states parties the meeting is also attended by representatives from two nonparties; Egypt and Myanmar.

Note: The attendance of Egyptian representatives at this and other similar meetings in 2005 is especially interesting as a possible indicator of impending changes in Egyptian policy toward the CWC.
—“Third Regional Meeting of National Authorities of States Parties in Asia,” Chemical Disarmament Quarterly, Vol. 3, No. 3 (September 2005), p. 17.

5 October 2005
A workshop to promote the universality and implementation of the CWC takes place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The workshop is attended by representatives from a number of African countries that are not yet members of the CWC, including Egypt. The workshop’s purpose is to demonstrate the legal, administrative and enforcement mechanisms of the CWC regime, as well as the benefits to be derived from OPCW membership through the programs for protection and assistance.
—“Chemical Weapons Convention Workshop Held in Ethiopia,” Chemical Disarmament Quarterly, Vol. 3, No. 4 (December 2005), p. 29.

28 February 2006
At the Inter-Arab Parliamentary Union meeting in Amman Jordan Egyptian representatives call for reviving the call of President Husni Mubarak to render the Mideast free from biological, nuclear and chemical weapons of mass destruction.
—“Arab Parliamentarians Discuss Egyptian Strategy on Collective Action,” BBC Monitoring International Reports, MENA news agency, Cairo, in English 0837 gmt 28 February 2006, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>.

June 2006
The United Kingdom releases it quarterly report on the application of national strategic export controls in the first three months of 2006. The report notes the UK government’s approval of exports of unspecified “corrosion resistant chemical manufacturing equipment” to Egypt by British companies.
—Strategic Export Controls: Quarterly Report - January to March 2006, (June 2006), p. 49, <http://www.fco.gov.uk/Files/KFile/StrategicExportControlsJanMar2006.pdf>.

21 October 2006
The Director General of the OPCW delivers a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in which he criticizes a number of countries for refusing to ratify or accede to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Amongst those singled out for criticism is Egypt. Pfirter observed that Egypt, Israel, Lebanon and Syria “have one way or the other allocated the responsibility for the inability to join” to the ongoing regional conflict. “I disagree entirely with that. I believe today there is no moral or strategic or legal excuse to remain outside the chemical weapons ban,” he added.
—Dharam Shourie, NKorea, key Middle Eastern states resisting chemical arms ban, 21 October 2006, The Press Trust of India, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>.

25 to 27 October 2006
A nongovernmental representative from the Cairo University in Egypt attends the Third OPCW Workshop to Promote the Universality of the Chemical Weapons Convention among States in the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East, and neighboring regions held in Rome, Italy.
—“Rome Workshop on Chemical Weapons Ban in the Middle East,” Chemical Disarmament Quarterly, Vol. 4, No. 4 (December 2006), p. 17-18.

5 to 8 December 2006
An Egyptian representative attends the 11th Session of the Conference of the States Party (CSP) to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) in the Hague as an observer. [Note: As a state that has neither signed nor acceded to the CWC the Egyptian representative can only attend the open sessions of the CSP].
—C-11/DEC.1: Decision: Attendance by Non-Signatory States at the Eleventh Session of the Conference of the States Parties, Organisation for the Prohibtion of Chemical Weapons, 5 December 2006, <http://www.opcw.org/docs/csp/csp11/en/c11dec01.pdf>.

	Updated January 2008