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BWC Text English 1

1) This document outlines the Convention on the Prohibition of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons, which aims to eliminate biological weapons and promote cooperation for peaceful uses of biology. 2) It establishes that states will never develop, produce, or stockpile biological agents/toxins for hostile purposes and will destroy existing agents within 9 months. 3) The convention provides for consultation and cooperation between states, as well as for lodging complaints and investigations of non-compliance.

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Atri Raychaudhuri
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32 views

BWC Text English 1

1) This document outlines the Convention on the Prohibition of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons, which aims to eliminate biological weapons and promote cooperation for peaceful uses of biology. 2) It establishes that states will never develop, produce, or stockpile biological agents/toxins for hostile purposes and will destroy existing agents within 9 months. 3) The convention provides for consultation and cooperation between states, as well as for lodging complaints and investigations of non-compliance.

Uploaded by

Atri Raychaudhuri
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CONVENTION

ON THE PROHIBITION OF THE DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCTION


AND STOCKPILING OF BACTERIOLOGICAL (BIOLOGICAL)
AND TOXIN WEAPONS AND ON THEIR DESTRUCTION
The States Parties to this Convention,
Determined to act with a view to achieving effective progress towards
general and complete disarmament, including the prohibition and elimination
of all types of weapons of mass destruction, and convinced that :he
prohibition of the development, production and stockpiling of chemical and
bacteriological (biological) weapons and their elimination, through effective
measures, will facilitate the achievement of general and complete disarma-
ment under strict and effective international control,
Recognising the important significance of the Protocol for the
Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or Other Gases,
and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare, signed at Geneva on 17 June
1925, and conscious also of the contribution which the said Protocol has
already made, and continues to make, to mitigating the horrors of war,
Reaffirming their adherence to the principles and objectives of that
Protocol and calling upon all States to comply strictly with them,
Recalling that the General Assembly of the United Nations has repeatedly
condemned all actions contrary to the principles and objectives of the Geneva
Protocol of 17 June 1925,
Desiring to contribute to the strengthening of confidence between peoples
and the general improvement of the international atmosphere,
Desiring also to contribute to the realisation of the purposes and
principles of the Charter of the United Nations,
Convinced oE the importance and urgency of eliminating from the
arsenals of States, through effective measures. such dangerous weapons of
mass destruction as those using chemical or bacteriological (biological)
agents,
Recognising that an agreement on the prohibition of bacteriological
(biological) and toxin weapons represents a first possible step towards the
achievement of agreement on effective measures also for the prohibition of the
development, production and stockpiling of chemical weapons, and
determined to continue negotiations to that end,
Determined, for the sake of all mankind, to exclude completely the
possibility of bacteriological (biological) agents and toxins being used as
weapons,
Convinced that such use would be repugnant to the conscience of
mankind and that no effort should be spared to minimise this risk,
Have agreed as follows:
Each State Party to this Convention undertakes never in any
circumstances to develop, produce, stockpile or otherwise acquire o r retain:
(1) mjcrobia] or other biological agents, or toxins whatever their origin
or method of production, of types and in quantities that h a v e no
justification for prophylactic, protective or other peaceful purposes;
(2) weapons, equipment or means of delivery designed to use such
agents or toxins for hostile purposes or in armed conflict,

Each State Party to this Convention undertakes to destroy, or t o divert


to peaceful purposes, as soon as possible but not later than nine months
after the entry into force of the Convention, all agents, toxins, weapons,
equipment and means of deljvery specified in Article 1 of the Convention,
which are in its p~ssession or under its jurisdiction or control. In
implementing the provisions of this Article all necessary safety precautions
shall be observed to protect populations and the environment.

Each State Party to this Convention undertakes not to transfer to any


recipient whatsoever, directly or indirectly, and not in any way t o assist,
encourage, or induce any State, group of States or international organisations
to manufacture or otherwise acquire any of the agents, toxins, weapons,
equipment or means of delivery specified in Article I of the Convention,

Each State Party to this Convention shall, in accordance with its


constitutional processes, take any necessary measures to prohibit and prevent
the development, production, stockpiling, acquisition or retention d the .
agents, toxins, weapons, equipment and means of delivery specified in
Article I of the Convention, within the territory of such State, under its
jurisdiction or under its control anywhere.

The States Parties to this Convention undertake to consult one another


and to co-operate in solving any problems which may arise in relation to
the objective of, or in the application of the provisions of, the Convention.
Consultation and co-operation pursuant to this Article may also be
undertaken through appropriate international procedures within the frame-
work of the United Nations and in accordance with its Charter.

(1) Any State Party to this Convention which finds that any other State
Party is acting in breach of obligations deriving from the provisions of the
Convention may lodge a complaint with the Security Council of the United
Nations. Such a complaint should include all possible evidence confirming
its validity, as well as a request for its consideration by the Security Council.
(2) Each State Party to this Convention undertakes to co-operate in
carrying out any investigation which the Security Council may initiate, h
accordance with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations, on the
basis of the complaint received by the Council. The Security Council shall
inform the States Parties to the Convention of the results of the investigation.

Each State Party to this Convention undertakes to provide or support


assistance, in accordance with the United Nations Charter, to any Party to
the Convention which so requests, if the Security Council decides that such
Party has been exposed to danger as a result of violation of the Convention,

Nothing in this Convention shall be interpreted as in any way limiting


or detracting from the obligations assumed by any State under the Protocol
for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or Other
Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare, signed at Geneva on
17 June 1925.

Each State Party to this Convention affirms the recognised objective of


effective prohibition of chemical weapons and, to this end, undertakes to
continue negotiations in good faith with a view to reaching early agreement
on effective measures for the prohibition of their development, production
and stockpiling and for their destruction, and on appropriate measures
concerning equipment and means of delivery specifically designed for the
production or use of chemical agents for weapons purposes.

(1) The States Parties to this Convention undertake to facilitate, and have
the right to participate in, the fullest possible exchange of equipment,
materials and scientific and technological information for the use of
bacteriological (biological) agents and toxins for peaceful purposes. Parties
to the Convention in a position to do so shall also co-operate in contributing
individually or together with other States or international organisations to
the further development and application of scientific discoveries in the field
of bacteriology (biology) for the prevention of disease, or for other peaceful
purposes.
(2) This Convention shall be implemented in a manner designed to avoid
hampering the economic or technological development of States Parties to
the Convention or international co-operation in the field of peaceful
bacteriological (biological) activities, including the international exchange of
bacteriological (biological) agents and toxins and equipment for the
processing. use or production of bacteriological (biological) agents and toxins
for peaceful purposes in accordance with the provisions of the Convention.
Any State Party may propose amendments to this Convention,
Amendments shall enter into force for each State Party accepting the
amendments upon their acceptance by a majority of the States Parties to
the Convention and thereafter for each remaining State Party on the date of
acceptance by it,

Five years after the entry into force of this Convention, or earlier i f it
is requested by a majority of Parties to the Convention by submitting a
proposal to this effect to the Depositary Governments, a conference of States
Parties to the Convention shall be held at Geneva, Switzerland, to review
the operation of the Convention, with a view to assuring that the purposes
of the preamble and the provisions of the Convention, including the
provisions concerning negotiations on chemical weapons, are being realised,
Such review shall take into account any new scientific and technological
developments relevant to the Convention,

ARTICLE XI11
( 1 ) This Convention shall be of unlimited duration,
(2) Each State Party to this Convention shall in exercising its national
sovereignty have the right to withdraw from the Convention if it decides
that extraordinary events, related to the subject matter of the Convention,
have jeopardised the supreme interests of its country. It shall give notice of
such withdrawal to all other States Parties to the Convention and to the
United Nations Security Council three months in advance. Such notice
shall include a statement of the extraordinary events it regards as having
jeopardised its supreme interests.

ARTICLE XIV
(1) This Convention shall be open to all States for signature. Any State
which does not sign the Convention before its entry into force in accordance
with paragraph 3 of this Article may accede to it at any time.
(2) This Convention shall be subject to ratification by signatory States,
Instruments of ratification and instruments of accession shall be deposited
with the Governments of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of
America, which are hereby designated the Depositary Governments.
(3) This Convention shall enter into force after the deposit of
instruments of ratification by twenty-two Governments, including the
Governments designated as Depositaries of the Convention.
(4) For States whose instruntents of ratification or accession are deposited
subsequent to the entry into force of this Convention, it shall enter into
force on the date of the deposit of their instruments of ratification o r
accession.
(5) The Depositary Governments shall promptly inform all signatory and
acceding States of the date of each signature, the date of deposit of each
instrument of ratification or of accession and the date of the entry into force
of this Convention, and of the receipt of other notices.
(6) This Convention shall be registered by the Depositary Governments
pursuant to Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations.

This Convention, the English, Russian, French, Spanish and Chinese texts
of which are equally authentic, shall be deposited in the archives of the
Depositary Governments. Duly certified copies of the Convention shall be
transmitted by the Depositary Governments to the Governments of the
signatory and acceding States.

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