On  April 10-11, 2017 on the occasion of the 20-th anniversary of the founding of Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) an "International Conference on Chemical Disarmament and security: the contribution of the OPCW to global peace and security" was held in Doha (Qatar).

The event was attended by the official delegation of Ukraine led by the Head of the Department of international security in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Mr. Serhiy Shutenko.

In his speech he noted in particular that Russia-backed terrorist activities of illegal armed groups in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which temporarily are out of control of the Ukrainian authorities, constitute serious threat to the chemical safety.

The growing threat in this area is caused primarily by the destruction of the critical infrastructure due to intensive fighting, loss of state control over numerous high-risk facilities and a significant part of the state border. This situation is highly conducive to pertaining terrorist acts, including the use of hazardous chemicals to contaminate water, food, soil, thereby causing poisoning etc.

Serhiy Shutenko strongly condemned the chemical attack carried out at the beginning of April in the city of Khan Sheikhun in Syria, calling for an urgent need for a comprehensive investigation of this incident with the involvement of the OPCW staff.

        The opening ceremony of the event was attended by Chief of General Staff of Qatar Armed Forces Lt. Gen. Ghanem Al-Ghanem and representatives of the Qatari Armed Forces.

The delegation of our country also included the Ambassador Mr. Yevhen Mykytenko and other diplomats of the Ukrainian embassy in Qatar.