AD HOC GROUP OF THE STATES PARTIES

TO THE CONVENTION ON THE PROHIBITION

OF THE DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCTION AND BWC/AD HOC GROUP/52 (Part I)

STOCKPILING OF BACTERIOLOGICAL 11 August 2000

(BIOLOGICAL) AND TOXIN WEAPONS

AND ON THEIR DESTRUCTION Original: ENGLISH

Twentieth session

Geneva, 10 July - 4 August 2000

PROCEDURAL REPORT OF THE AD HOC GROUP OF THE

STATES PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION ON THE PROHIBITION

OF THE DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCTION AND STOCKPILING OF

BACTERIOLOGICAL (BIOLOGICAL) AND TOXIN WEAPONS

AND ON THEIR DESTRUCTION

PART I

1. The Ad Hoc Group of States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction held its twentieth session at the Palais des Nations, Geneva from 10 July to 4 August 2000, in accordance with the decision taken at its seventeenth session. The Group held 31 meetings during that period under the chairmanship of Ambassador Tibor Tóth of Hungary. Ambassador Leslie Luck of Australia and Ambassador Juan Enrique Vega Patri of Chile served as Vice-Chairmen of the Group. Ms. Silvana F. da Silva, Senior Political Affairs Officer, and Mr. Vladimir Bogomolov, Political Affairs Officer, both of the Department for Disarmament Affairs, served, respectively, as Secretary and Deputy-Secretary of the Group.

2. At the twentieth session, the following States Parties to the Convention participated in the work of the Ad Hoc Group:

Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Ireland, Italy, Japan, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and United States of America. The following signatory State to the Convention also participated in the work of the Group: Morocco.

3. At the 1st meeting, the Ad Hoc Group decided to continue its consideration of Agenda Item 9 entitled "Strengthening of the Convention in accordance with the mandate as it is contained in the Final Report of the Special Conference of the States Parties of the Biological Weapons Convention" (BWC/SPCONF/1, September 1994).

4. At the twentieth session, the Chairman of the Ad Hoc Group was assisted by Friends of the Chair in his consultations and negotiations on particular issues, as follows:

Preamble

- Mr. Malik Azhar Ellahi (Pakistan)

General Provisions

- Ambassador Hubert de La Fortelle (France)

Definitions of Terms and Objective Criteria

- Dr. Ali A. Mohammadi (Islamic Republic of Iran)

Measures to Promote Compliance

- Ambassador Ian Soutar (United Kingdom of Great Britain

and Northern Ireland)

Investigations

- Mr. Peter Goosen (South Africa)

Confidentiality Issues

- Ambassador Dr. Günther Seibert (Germany)

Legal Issues

- Ambassador Leslie Luck (Australia)

National Implementation and Assistance

- Mr. Ajit Kumar (India)

Measures Related to Article X

- Mr. Antonio de Aguiar Patriota (Brazil)

Declaration Formats

- Dr. Anthony Phillips (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)

Seat of the Organization

- Ambassador Seiichiro Noboru (Japan)

5. Out of the 40 meetings available to the Ad Hoc Group in accordance with the programme of work, 3 1/6 meetings were devoted to plenary meetings.

6. In accordance with the programme of work, the Group devoted 1 1/2 meetings to “Preamble”; 1/2 of a meeting to “General Provisions”; 5 1/2 meetings to “Definitions of Terms and Objective Criteria”; 4 2/3 meetings to “Measures to Promote Compliance”; 4 2/3 meetings to “Investigations”; 2/3 of a meeting to “Confidentiality Issues”; 2/3 of a meeting to “Legal Issues”; 1/2 of a meeting to “National Implementation and Assistance”; 5 meetings to “Measures Related to Article X”; 4 meetings to “Declaration Formats”; and 1/6 of a meeting to “Seat of the Organization”. The Friends of the Chair were assisted by Mr. Vladimir Bogomolov, and by Ms. Iris Hunger and Mr. Jeremy Littlewood, Professional Assistants.

7. The results of the discussions are attached to this report (Annex I). In addition to the statement of the Chairman that the positions of delegations are not prejudiced by this paper, individual brackets have been introduced to cover specific preliminary concerns of delegations and it is recognized that further and detailed consideration of all elements will be required at future sessions.