THE HAGUE, November 21. /TASS/. Russia believes it is necessary to amend the rules for electing the head of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and making decisions at its conferences, head of the Russian delegation, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Georgy Kalamanov, said on Wednesday at the Fourth OPCW Review Conference.
"By analogy with other international organizations, clear regulations for the election of the Director General should be developed," he said. They should contain provisions concerning fair geographical rotation, the establishment of the mandate commission consisting of representatives of all regional groups to ensure transparency and control over the election process."
"It is also essential to take measures to amend the procedure for making decisions at the conferences of the state parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC)," Kalamanov went on to say. "The existing vote counting practice, when the minority can actually impose its will on the majority is flawed and inconsistent with the consensus principle enshrined in the CWC."
According to Kalamanov, Moscow is in favor of "a cautious, coordinated approach towards the organization’s personnel policy." "At the same time, it is important to ensure its replenishment with new specialists, including from developing countries, while maintaining continuity in terms of experience and specialized knowledge.".