Moscow, 2 May 1997 (RFE/RL) - Russia's President Boris Yeltsin today signed into law legislation on the destruction of chemical weapons on Russian territory.
The new law specifies how, but not when Russia will destroy its chemical weapons.
The draft law was approved late last month by the State Duma which overturned an earlier upper house veto.
At the same time however the Communist-dominated Duma postponed ratification of the UN Chemical Weapons Convention banning the production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons, because of what it called Russia's "very difficult" economic situation. Yeltsin has expressed concern over the Duma's failure to ratify the convention, which came into force on Tuesday.
The new law specifies how, but not when Russia will destroy its chemical weapons.
The draft law was approved late last month by the State Duma which overturned an earlier upper house veto.
At the same time however the Communist-dominated Duma postponed ratification of the UN Chemical Weapons Convention banning the production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons, because of what it called Russia's "very difficult" economic situation. Yeltsin has expressed concern over the Duma's failure to ratify the convention, which came into force on Tuesday.