A broad coalition of civil society organizations today urged negotiators in Geneva to make a final push and agree a Bio-Weapons Protocol
NGO Statement on BWC Protocol Negotiations
We, the undersigned non-governmental organizations, call on the Ad Hoc Group (AHG) to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC) to conclude a Protocol to the Convention before the Fifth BWC Review Conference, scheduled for November 19-December 7, 2001. To miss this opportunity to strengthen the ban on biological weapons would be a grave error.
We welcome the introduction of the Chairman’s composite text at the previous session and consider it as the best basis available for arriving at agreement. We note that the 24th session is the AHG’s final session before the Review Conference. All delegations now need to engage in earnest negotiations and show strong and determined political will so as to conclude the negotiations this year.
The Protocol negotiations are the sole ongoing multilateral disarmament negotiations so their outcome will be of great importance to international security and non-proliferation. We urge the AHG to send the right message and bring the negotiations to a successful conclusion. The Protocol will be an important tool to help prevent the spread biological weapons and fill a gap in the network of international disarmament and non-proliferation treaties.
The Acronym
Institute, United Kingdom
Federation of
American Scientists (FAS), USA
Geneva
International Peace Research Institute (GIPRI)
Interdisciplinary
Research Group concerned with Science, Technology and Security (IANUS), Germany
International
Peace Bureau (IPB), Switzerland
International
Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility (INES)