Special Press Briefing on Albania – First Country to Destroy All Of Its Chemical Weapons

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation Ambassador Donald A. Mahley and Director of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency Dr. James A. Tegnelia will brief the press on Albania’s becoming the first nation to complete destruction of its declared chemical weapons stockpile under the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention, with assistance from the United States and funds through the Nunn-Lugar Chemical Threat Reduction Program. This off-camera, on-the-record briefing will take place on Friday, August 24, 2007 at 12:30 p.m. Reporters will be escorted to the Conference Room from the 23rd Street Lobby at 12:25 p.m.

Media representatives may attend this briefing upon presentation of one of the following forms of identification at the 23^rd Street Entrance: 1) a U.S. Government-issued identification card (Department of State, White House, Congress, Department of Defense, or Foreign Press Center), 2) a photo ID issued by the employing media organization, or 3) a letter on official letterhead from their news organization verifying their employment as a journalist, accompanied by an official photo ID (driver's license or passport). Media who wish to attend the briefing should be at the 23^rd Street entrance at 12:15 p.m. For further details, contact Leann Bullin at 202-647-8356 or Chase Beamer at 202-647-9754.