Statement Issued: 12/11/03 Page Update: 17/11/03 Geneva

Statement by the BWPP
12 November 2003

1. Mr Chairman, Distinguished Representatives, it is a great honour to be invited to make a
   statement to this meeting of the States Parties to the Biological and Toxin Weapons
   Convention (BTWC) in my role as Director of the international NGO, the BioWeapons
   Prevention Project (BWPP). The BWPP monitors political, societal, scientific and
   technological developments with possible implications for the use of disease as a weapon, and
   the implementation of the legal and political obligations of states under the BTWC, the final
   declarations of the BTWC Review Conferences, and other relevant international treaties and
   agreements. The BWPP also tracks other efforts to strengthen the norms against the
   weaponization of disease. Civil society organizations concerned with the BW threat make up
   the BWPP membership. They come from the arms control and disarmament community, as
   well as from related fields, such as the biological sciences and biotechnology, health and
   safety, environment, and ethics. Together the BWPP member organizations already represent
   considerable expertise, which can only increase as the membership grows.
   
2. The current inter-sessional process is an effort to maintain the multilateral approach to security
   by focussing on measures that each State Party can undertake individually or in collaboration
   with one or more other States Parties. This process is relevant. National responsibility in
   strengthening the global BTWC regime has been a greatly neglected area. However, there
   remains a clear linkage between the national and global levels: whatever national measures are
   being studied and evaluated, they need to be considered in the light of the global regime.
   
3. The series of meetings, which began in August, is part of a process leading to the 6th Review
   Conference in 2006. Good ideas will emerge from it and they warrant further consideration
   and development. In order to maintain this momentum it is imperative that the topics discussed
   in 2003 be developed further after the end of the current meeting of the States Parties. The
   BWPP is encouraged by the several proposals put forward as a means to capitalize on the
   outcomes of the expert meeting in August.
   
4. The BWPP is nevertheless concerned that from a global perspective the present focus on
   national implementation and other national initiatives may lead to an uneven and patchy
   progress. Unfortunately, not all States are able or willing to commit equivalent efforts and other
   resources to support the implementation process. The outcome of such a ‘pick-and-choose’
   process may raise fresh questions about the seriousness of the commitment of States Parties to strengthening the ban on the weaponization of disease. The BWPP hopes that the
   implementation of the identified measures can be evaluated before the 6th Review Conference.
   
5. The terrorist strikes of 11 September 2001 and the subsequent attacks with mail-delivered
   anthrax spores in the USA have generated new support and interest among States Parties to
   strengthen the norms against biological warfare and to increase national implementation
   measures. As the BWPP already noted in August, the new threats are not a concern just for
   the rich, industrialized societies. We have recently seen acts of catastrophic terrorism in Africa,
   Asia, the Middle East and South America. If countries in these areas fail to equip themselves
   with the necessary tools they will inevitably become safe havens for terrorists to plot and
   launch biological attacks against neighbouring countries or countries farther away. The BWPP
   therefore strongly believes that each and every State Party to the BTWC has a responsibility
   to take the current process to strengthen the BTWC seriously. It must invest the necessary
   resources in the timely preparations of the meetings and in implementing their outcomes.
   
6. Despite the importance of the developments and coordination of national measures, the
   BTWC remains the source of common norms, obligations and responsibilities for all states.
   Let us not forget that international cooperation creates common instruments to deal with
   proliferation and armament concerns, and helps to establish common goals against terrorism.
   The international community simply cannot afford to lose the BTWC.
   
7. Mr Chairman, Distinguished Representatives, yesterday was the first anniversary of the
   BWPP. More importantly, however, the world also remembered the end of the First World
   War. The impact of science and industrial might on the conduct of war was reflected in the
   escalation of chemical warfare. The First World War also witnessed the first deliberate use
   of microbial agents based on the modern understanding of the propagation of disease and the
   cultivation of pathogens. Eighty-five years later we still cannot think unambiguously about the
   contribution the advances in biology can bring to mankind. We really have to ponder on the
   ‘why’? Thank you.