Download finnish contribution to the implementation of the cwc

FINNISH CONTRIBUTION TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CWC; VERIFIN
A complete prohibition of chemical weapons is a key objective for all disarmament efforts. Such a
prohibition was under multilateral negotiation for more than twenty years and was carried out by the
Conference on Disarmament and its predecessors. At that time, a convention prohibiting biological
weapons (BWC) had been completed (1972), but a corresponding convention with no provisions for
verification was considered unacceptable with respect to chemical weapons. The world knew little
about the scientific and technical complexities of these weapons – the countries that possessed them
held the knowledge in strictest secrecy. Not even the basic chemical structure of the most toxic nerve
agent, VX, was commonly known. The Government of Finland therefore saw an opportunity to make a
novel contribution to searching for and putting an end to chemical weapons by deciding to support open
research on chemical weapons outside military establishments.
Since 1973, Finland has made a concrete contribution to chemical weapons disarmament by supporting
the activities of VERIFIN (Finnish Institute for Verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention),
which started as a research project on technical issues relating to the verification of chemical weapons.
The project was implemented by the Department of Chemistry of the University of Helsinki in cooperation with other Finnish laboratories and funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MFA). No
aspect of the Finnish Project was classified or otherwise restricted and these features made the Finnish
Project unique at that time. With a view to assisting in the implementation of the future Chemical
Weapons Convention (CWC) and applying the latest scientific and technological advances to the
problems of verifying the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Finnish Research Project developed
methods and instruments for the detailed detection, identification and analysis of chemical warfare
agents.
The focus of the Project has changed over the years. During the first four years (1973–1976), the
research centred on the chemistry of nerve agents. Small amounts of nerve agents were synthesised, and
analytical methods were developed for their analysis. From 1977 to 1983 new laboratory techniques
were developed. For example, the Project developed an analytical method called “two-channel retention
index monitoring” for a chromatographic analysis of chemical warfare agents. A prototype of a
precision measuring instrument, a two-channel gas chromatograph for automatic retention index
monitoring, was constructed. During the years 1983–1987, the research moved out of the laboratory.
Working with the Finnish Defence Forces, the researchers developed techniques for collecting
environmental samples and operating instruments in the field. The techniques for air sampling were
extensively tested with simulants in field trials. Thereafter the Project focused on developing standard
operating procedures for sampling and laboratory tasks needed in support of verification. In 1988, the
Project approached defence laboratories asking their willingness to participate on an interlaboratory
comparison test with a view to develop analytical methods. Ten laboratories participated on this test
(called Round-Robin test) organized in 1989, and three further tests were performed under Finnish
coordination up to 1993, when the newly established Provisional Technical Secretariat (PTS) of the
OPCW undertook coordination responsibility for the following tests.
Since 1977 until 1992, the Project reported the results of its development work annually to the
Conference on Disarmament in Geneva. These reports are commonly known as “the Finnish Blue
Books”. The volumes published in 1993 and 1994 were presented in The Hague. In 1988, the first Blue
Book on the standard Operating Procedures for Verification of the CWC was published. The work on
the procedures led to the Recommended Operating Procedures of the OPCW, developed internationally
in Round-Robin tests coordinated by the Project. Altogether twenty-two volumes were published until
1994, and they comprise nearly 5000 pages.
In September 1994, the status of the Finnish Project was changed to the Finnish Institute for
Verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention, VERIFIN, an independent institute under the
University of Helsinki. The change was made to facilitate meeting the requirements foreseen nationally
at the entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention, signed in Paris in January 1993. The
Finnish implementation legislation identifies the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland as the Finnish
National Authority and obligates VERIFIN to support the MFA in verification-related tasks.
Nowadays, the main areas of activities of VERIFIN are research and methods development, training,
and – as a part of the Finnish National Authority – implementation of the CWC. The analytical
capability of VERIFIN includes all CWC-related chemicals in various types of sample matrices,
excluding biomedical material. At present, methods for biomedical samples after CW exposure are
under development. VERIFIN is a testing laboratory accredited by the Finnish Accreditation Service
(FINAS), which is internationally recognized accreditation body. The scope of accreditation is
“Chemical Testing in Verification of Chemical Weapons”. VERIFIN was initially accredited in 1996.
The current accreditation is based on the ISO/IEC 17025:2005 standard. VERIFIN is a designated
laboratory of the OPCW. The designation was obtained in 1998 and is maintained by annual
participation and successful performance in the official OPCW Proficiency Tests. VERIFIN is also
Finland’s (Partner-for-Peace, PfP) point-of-contact in the NATO SIBCRA sub-group and participates
actively in the work of this sub-group.
VERIFIN continuously maintains its readiness to analyze samples for CWC-related chemicals. The
instrumentation in the laboratory is up-to-date and well adapted to sample screening and unambiguous
identification of CWC-related chemicals. VERIFIN possesses reference materials and is capable of
synthesis of a wide range of highly toxic reference chemicals in its Synthesis Laboratory. The
laboratory is equipped with modern synthesis equipment. The VERIFY database is commercially
available for all Member State laboratories and serves as reference data for the identification of
unknown chemicals.
Besides organizing its own research project, Finland has contributed to efforts to fulfil CWC
responsibilities in other regions and countries. The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) requires
extensive verification procedures to ensure the completion of its tasks. The success of these existing
CWC verification procedures and a reliable identification of CWC-related chemicals relies on specially
trained analytical chemists and other scientists serving on inspection teams as well as in national and
international laboratories. Skills for structure elucidation of possible unknown CWC-related chemicals
in environmental samples can only be developed through extensive training.
To implement Article X of the CWC, training must be given for the planning and building of a support
team in civilian protection and rescue operations in contaminated areas, as well as in appropriate
responses and countermeasures in the event of incidents involving chemical warfare agents, including
the exchange of information and experiences. Also the national implementation of the CWC (Article
VII) requires the State Parties to establish National Authorities and national legislation regarding the
CWC.
Since 1990, VERIFIN has organised training courses on the analysis of chemicals related to the
Chemical Weapons Convention for chemists from developing countries. In August 2002, the first
Training Course on National Authority and Chemical Databases (NACD) was launched and ever since
the course has been arranged biannually. Additionally, in autumn 2003, an International Workshop on
the Analysis of Chemicals related to the Chemical Weapons Convention was organised. Together with
the Workshop, a more practical Laboratory Exercise (CW-LABEX) was organized. Since then, this
course has been arranged once a year. A Laboratory Skills Enhancement Course (CW-LSE I) was
started in 2005 and another Laboratory Skills Enhancement Course (CW-LSE II) in 2006 to address the
need for additional targeted training on analytical methods. The aim is to train analytical chemists,
which after further training could become e.g. analysts of inspection teams, and it is expected that the
participants and their respective countries (governments) make use of the knowledge and experience
they acquire in different ways. The purpose is that the participants will continue working by the taught
methods in their home countries as analytical specialists in laboratories, teachers of analytical
techniques, advisers to National Authorities and technical experts in international negotiations and
scientific meetings. In June 2006 a two-week Analytical Skills Development Course was organised. The
course was funded by the European Union.
In
Assistance and Protection training, started in 2006 and organised by VERIFIN and the Emergency
Services College, preference is given to officers from emergency response units involved in civilian
protection. By the end of April 2007, VERIFIN has trained 299 experts from 89 countries.
In addition to the courses directed to experts from developing countries, VERIFIN organized in 1997,
together with Dstl from the UK, training for OPCW analytical inspector candidates. In total, 29
inspector candidates (from 22 countries) took a four-week laboratory-based course, which introduced
them to analytical techniques. After this, they moved to Dstl for three-week field training. Counting also
this course, VERIFIN has trained a total of 328 experts from 97 countries.
The two significant persons behind the development of VERIFIN were Professor Emeritus and
Academian Jorma K. Miettinen (1921-) who was the director of the Finnish Project from its start till
1988 and can be considered one of founding father's of the Finnish Project. After 1988 the Project was
directed by Mrs. Marjatta Rautio till 2002. Mrs Rautio (1944-) who focused especially on development
verification methodology for CWAs for example Round Robin tests and Finnish Blue Books.
First Session of the Conference of State Parties, The Hague, May 1997. Front (left) Mrs.
Marjatta Rautio, Professor Jorma K. Miettinen and Foreign Minister Tarja Halonen.