Status of US Membership: Ratified April 29, 1997

Key Terms: 1.) State parties agree to never develop, acquire or use chemical weapons or transfer them to anyone; 2.) State parties agree to destroy existing chemical weapons production facilities and stockpiles ; 3.) Each state party must declare any chemical weapons facilities or stockpiles. State parties must allow routine inspections of "dual-use" chemicals and production facilities that could be used in a manner prohibited by the CWC.

Status of US Compliance: The US purports to advocate a strong CWC but has imposed strong limits on inspections of its facilities that are contrary to the requirements of the treaty, including reserving the right for the President to block inspections and limiting what facilities may be inspected.

Official Treaty Site - Contains treaty text, status.

Federation of American Scientists on CWC - Comprehensive source of information on CWC, including texts, documents and news.