US embassy cable - 05QUITO391

UNCLAS QUITO 000391 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PARM, ABUD, ES, EC, AROC, CWC, CBW, OPCW 
SUBJECT: ECUADOR ON CWC:  NATIONAL AUTHORITY IN PLACE, 
LEGISLATION DELAYED 
 
REF: SECSTATE 26859 
 
1.  In response to Reftel, the Embassy February 15 delivered 
non-paper to Ruben Herrera, the Technical Agencies 
representative in the MFA's Multilateral Affairs directorship 
general.  In a follow-up telcon February 17, Herrera refuted 
a Reftel assertion, claiming Ecuador had in fact established 
its National Authority (NA) for the Chemical Weapons 
Convention (CWC).  He claimed the CWC NA was composed of 
representatives from the MFA, Presidency, Army Polytechnic 
University (ESPE), and Chamber of Industry, among others. It 
met on an ad hoc basis; its next gathering, the first of 
2005, would take place the week of February 21. 
 
2.  Reftel's second assertion -- that Ecuador had failed to 
pass CWC implementing legislation -- was correct, Herrera 
admitted.  Additionally, he knew of no CWC bill currently 
coursing through Congress.  As deputies were unlikely to 
draft such technical legislation, responsibility would fall 
to the MFA or another NA-represented entity.  The Authority 
would discuss the matter at the February meeting, Herrera 
claimed. 
Chacon