MOSCOW. Aug 10 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia will scrap 45% of its chemical weapons arsenals by the end of 2009, chief of the Federal Department for the Safe Storage and Liquidation of Chemical Weapons Lieutenant General Valery Kapashin told reporters.
"By the end of December 2009, the deadline for the completion of the third stage, we will liquidate 45% of our chemical weapons stock - 18,500 tons," he said.
The second stage of the implementation of the 1997 Convention for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons was fulfilled in April 2007.
"By that time, Russia had scrapped more than 8,000 tons of toxic agents, more than 20% of its chemical arsenals," Kapashin said.
The figure will grow to 9,000 by September 10, 2007, he said.
Russian Deputy Defense Minister General Alexander Belousov, who handed General Kapashin the flag of the chemical weapons liquidation forces at a ceremony on Thursday, announced that "Russia will meet its chemical weapons commitments fully and on time."
"This is a serious theme and we treat it seriously All chemical weapons arsenals are to be liquidated by 2012," he said, adding that all necessary conditions had been created to achieve this goal: "funds are being allocated, liquidation units have been manned with specialists, and new chemical weapons scrapping facilities are being brought into operation".