- News>
- World
Countries pledge to tighten national bioweapons controls
Geneva, Nov 15: More than 150 countries which have signed a UN convention banning biological weapons pledged to review and tighten national controls against germ warfare.
Geneva, Nov 15: More than 150 countries which have signed a UN convention banning biological weapons pledged to review and tighten national controls against germ warfare.
After a five-day meeting in Geneva, the 151 signatories of the biological and toxin weapons convention agreed to "review, and where necessary, enact or update national" measures "which ensure effective implementation of the prohibition (of biological weapons) and which enhance
effective security of pathogens and toxins ...."
In particular it said legal, regulatory and penal measures to implement the 1972 treaty should be reviewed.
The signatory countries pledged to cooperate on legal and technical measures to ensure monitoring of biological compounds is more effective.
The countries also agreed on "the need for comprehensive and concrete national measures to secure pathogen collections and the control of their use for peaceful purposes ....," according to a statement.
Progress on tightening control over toxins is to reviewed at the next conference on the treaty in 2006.
The UN convention prohibits the development, production, stockpiling or use of biological weapons, but does not provide for checks in countries to verify compliance unlike other arms control treaties dealing with nuclear or chemical weapons.
In November 2002, states decided to meet annually until 2006 to discuss national controls after the United States refused to agree to international inspections. Bureau Report
In particular it said legal, regulatory and penal measures to implement the 1972 treaty should be reviewed.
The signatory countries pledged to cooperate on legal and technical measures to ensure monitoring of biological compounds is more effective.
The countries also agreed on "the need for comprehensive and concrete national measures to secure pathogen collections and the control of their use for peaceful purposes ....," according to a statement.
Progress on tightening control over toxins is to reviewed at the next conference on the treaty in 2006.
The UN convention prohibits the development, production, stockpiling or use of biological weapons, but does not provide for checks in countries to verify compliance unlike other arms control treaties dealing with nuclear or chemical weapons.
In November 2002, states decided to meet annually until 2006 to discuss national controls after the United States refused to agree to international inspections. Bureau Report