I. Biological weapon arms control and disarmament

Chapter:

9. Reducing security threats from chemical and biological materials

Source:

SIPRI Yearbook 2012

Author(s):

John Hart

The principal activity in 2011 in biological arms control was the Seventh Review Conference of the 1972 Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) in December and preparation for it, which included considering and structuring relevant topics and drafting background text. Much of this activity was procedural and referred to long-standing implementation principles contained in the various articles of the convention, such as those dealing with the strengthening of national implementation and economic cooperation and development. Lack of consensus continued to affect the parties’ ability to consider possible specific compliance concerns regarding past, current or planned activity by states, or specific consideration of known or suspected bioterrorist activity. The parties also remained divided on the question of whether and how to put in place permanent or legally binding mechanisms to encourage a more substantive exchange of views on such concerns. The review conference nevertheless continued to provide the parties with a framework in which to exchange views and experience on the implementation of the convention, and the Seventh Review Conference agreed that another intersessional programme should continue this practice. Two new parties joined the BTWC in 2011: Burundi and Mozambique. A further 12 states had signed but not ratified the convention.¹