Convention on the prohibition of the development, production and
stockpiling of bacteriological (biological) and toxin weapons and
on their destruction
New Zealand delegation
I make this EoV on behalf of Canada and New Zealand in respect
of L37 on the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention.
Mr Chairman,
As States that are gravely concerned about the threats posed by
biological weapons, we wish to state for the record our position
on the resolution that the Committee has just adopted without a
vote.
In particular, we wish to comment on operative paragraph 3. The
agreement reached at the Fifth Review Conference stated that States
parties would "discuss and promote common understanding and
effective action on two topic" the topics for this year being
national implementation of the BWC and security and oversight of
pathogenic microorganisms and toxins. In other words, the task is
not only for States parties to participate in its implementation
as set out in OP3, but also to "promote common understandings
and effective action". That requires some stated outcome, either
by the Chair or otherwise for the information of States parties.
The fact that OP3 does not quote the mandate in its entirety does
not diminish the task lying ahead of States parties at the upcoming
Meeting of States parties in November.
