Canada fully supports the Green Cross Public Outreach Program and, together with the Netherlands, is proud to fund the establishment and operation of this Green Cross public outreach and information office in Izhevsk.

The commitment by Green Cross and Global Green to transparency, civic participation, and independent dissemination of information is consistent with and advances the objectives of the Global Partnership. Helping local citizens to inform themselves and to take part in decisions that affect them is also fundamentally important to Canada and Canadians. Informed citizens are better citizens. This is why Canadians are pleased to assist the Green Cross in its very important community work.

It is our hope that this public outreach and information office will help the citizens of the region through open discussion and the sharing of information on medical, social, economic, environmental, technical, and other issues associated with the storage and destruction of chemical weapons in general and, more specifically, at the nearby Kizner facility.

By giving out information and encouraging a dialogue, we believe that this office will be very helpful in answering the concerns and questions of the local population with regard to the destruction of CW stockpiles.

Some of the activities we might expect to see include proposing tangible solutions for dealing with local concerns in the areas of public health, environmental impacts, emergency preparedness, and social infrastructure improvements. Conducting educational meetings and activities on CWD and CWD-related questions, including with children, is also a very important part of the work of Green Cross.

It is important that local communities understand the benefits of the chemical weapons destruction program, and to do so they must also understand how the program can affect them. We hope that the activities of this Green Cross office, and in fact all Green Cross offices, will increase understanding and cooperation at all levels and between all those involved in the vital effort to eliminate the stocks of these terrible weapons, wherever they are found.

The destruction of deadly, and deteriorating, chemical weapons stockpiles is a fundamental priority for the all governments supporting the Global Partnership, which includes of course Russia and Canada. We must do all that we can to prevent terrorists from getting weapons or materials of mass destruction. Not only Russians, but Canadians too are safer when chemical weapons are not available to be taken by terrorists.

On behalf of my Ambassador, Christopher Westdal, and the Government of Canada, I wish to express to the staff of the Izhevsk Green Cross Public Outreach Office our best wishes and assure them of our support in meeting the challenges ahead.