Proponents Say: Adopt the Package of Alternative Measures Proposed by the U.S.
By adopting the constructive U.S. alternatives to the existing
draft BWC Protocol, BWC member states could develop a regime
that would strengthen the Convention without making it appear
more verifiable than it actually is.
If the draft BWC Protocol were discarded as the basis for the
negotiations, biotechnology and pharmaceutical firms would not
be subjected to undue burdens from declarations and inspections.
U.S. willingness to adopt the proposed measures would encourage
other states to cooperate.
Opponents Say:
The U.S. Proposed Alternatives Will be Ineffective.
Six years of arduous effort to negotiate the draft BWC Protocol
would be lost, along with a useful (if imperfect) inspection regime.
A possible effect of the failure of countries to agree on a common
approach to strengthening the BWC could be to undermine the international
norm against biological warfare.
Most of the U.S.-proposed measures involve domestic legislation
that would do little to address the serious concerns over BWC
noncompliance.
Even if the U.S. alternatives are accepted, they may be ineffective
in halting and reversing the spread of BW. Most countries believe
that only some type of legally binding multilateral agreement
would be sufficient to strengthen the BWC.
Other countries (including some U.S. allies) may resent the U.S.
rejection of the draft Protocol and hence may be reluctant to
accept the proposed alternatives.
The United States may be perceived as a "spoiler"
and a "unilateralist" determined to go its own way,
arousing considerable ill will from other participating countries,
even close allies such as the United Kingdom.
