Iraq has signed up to the Chemical Weapons Convention, an international deal that “aims to eliminate an entire category of weapons of mass destruction by prohibiting the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, retention, transfer or use of chemical weapons by States Parties”. (Press Release).

Iraq, as we’re reminded by Global Security Newswire, is “a nation that once used blister and nerve agents in war and against its own people”. So the news that Iraq is committed to make sure that chemical weapons are eradicated from the country has been welcomed by the UN Secretary General , and the US government.

The news has also been widely reported internationally (Xinhua, Press Trust of India, Reuters). Iraq’s official entry to the convention will be on February 12th.