aim - to foster the implementation of human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy, and the rule of law; to act as an instrument of early warning, conflict prevention, and crisis management; and to serve as a framework for conventional arms control and confidence building measures
members - (55) Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus,
Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany,
Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands,
Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia and
Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan,
Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan
partners for cooperation - (10) Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Morocco, Thailand, Tunisia
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW): established - 29 April 1997
aim - to enforce the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction; to provide a forum for consultation and cooperation among the signatories of the Convention
members (countries that have ratified the Convention) - (160)
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile,
China, Colombia, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia,
Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, East Timor, Ecuador,
El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji,
Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia,
Lesotho, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,
Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia,
Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,
Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia,
Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,
Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda,
Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen,
Zambia, Zimbabwe
signatory states (countries that have signed, but not ratified, the Convention) - (22) The Bahamas, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guinea- Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Israel, Liberia, Madagascar, Marshall Islands, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sierra Leone; note - states have signed but not ratified the convention
Organization of African Unity (OAU): see African Union
Organization of American States (OAS): established - 14 April 1890 as the International Union of American Republics; 30 April 1948 adopted present charter; effective - 13 December 1951
aim - to promote regional peace and security as well as economic and social development