Third Review Conference focuses on verification, confidence-building

UN Chronicle, Dec, 1991

The Conference adopted by consensus a Final Declaration, in which participants stated that the use of biological weapons is "repugnant to the conscience of mankind". The 15-article Convention--considered the first international agreement to provide for genuine disarmament--is "essential to international peace and security", delegates agreed.

The Declaration states that elimination of both chemical and biological weapons would facilitate the achievement of general and complete disarmament. All States should deal seriously with compliance issues, because "failure to do so would undermine the Convention and the disarmament process in general". Full implementation of the Convention, however, should not hamper economic and technological development and international cooperation in peaceful biological activities.

Participating in the Conference were 78 States Parties, six States which had signed the Treaty but had not yet ratified it, two UN specialized agencies (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the World Health Organization, which participated as observers), one regional intergovernmental organization (League of Arab States) and 11 non-governmental organizations and research institutes. Three States neither Parties to nor signatories of the Convention were also granted observer status.

The Convention was commenced by the General Assembly on 16 December 1971 in resolution 2826 (XXVI). It was opened for signature in April 1972 and, in accordance with Article XIV, entered into force in 1975 when 22 States ratified it. Two previous review conferences were held in Geneva--in 1980 and 1986.

In a closing statement, Conference President Roberto Garcia Moritan of Argentina noted a "welcome sense of compromise in the negotiations". Boldness had indeed been shown, although the "aspirations of some might not have been met", he said.

Final Declaration

In its Declaration, the Conference stressed that in the case of alleged use of chemical and bacteriological (biological) or toxin weapons, the UN was called upon to take appropriate measures in accordance with its Charter, including timely and efficient investigations.

The Conference welcomed regional initiatives that would lead to wider accession to the Convention, as well as those dealing withu the renunciation of weapons of mass destruction, including biological weapons.

Scientific communities were asked to continue support only for activities that had justification under the Convention, and refrain from those in breach of its provisions. States Parties were also urged to observe all necessary safety precautions to protect populations and the environment.

The Conference noted with concern the increasing gap between the deveoped and developing countries in biotechnology, genetic engineering, microbiology and other related area. It urged all States Parties to actively promote international cooperation and technological transfer on an equal and non-discriminatory basis and considered that the establishment of a world data bank under UN supervision might be a suitable way for facilitating the flow of information in those fields.

Other action

The Conference also established an ad hoc group of governmental experts to identify and examine potential verification measures from a scientific and technical standpoint to help close a gap which presently exists in the Convention. It is to meet in Geneva from 30 March to 10 April 1992 and complete its work, preferably before the end of 1993.

To further strengthen information exchanges, the Conference agreed on three new confidence-building measures--a "Declaration of Legislation, Regulations and Other Measures", a "Declaration of Past Activities in Offensive and/or Defensive Biological Research Development Programmes" and a "Declaration of Vaccine Production Facilities". Also agreed on was a "Declaration on Nothing to Declare or Nothing New to Declare".

Another positive development came with the United Kingdom's decision to withdraw its reservation to the Geneva Protocol of 1925, under which it had retained the right to retaliate in kind if biological weapons were used against it.

A Fourth Review Conference is to be held in Geneva no later than 1996. Issues to be considered are: the impact of scientific and technological developments relating to the Convention; the relevance of a chemical weapons ban to the effective implementation of the biological weapons Convention; and the effectiveness of coordinated confidence-building measures.