Global Security Newswire

Russia yesterday expressed support for establishing a legally binding system to monitor compliance with the Biological Weapons Convention, Interfax reported (see GSN, Dec. 2).

The Foreign Ministry statement followed the meeting last week in Geneva of member nations to the treaty that bans the development, manufacture and possession of weapons that involve biological agents such as anthrax, smallpox or plague. The pact presently has no mechanism for checks on its 162 states parties.

"We are satisfied with the constructive discussion which included an exchange of experiences. The Russian delegation actively participated in this work and explained the need for high biological security standards, that are used in Russia," according to the statement.

"The most efficient way to achieve this goal is to develop and adopt a legally binding mechanism for monitoring" the treaty," the Foreign Ministry added.

The next review conference for the convention is scheduled for 2011. It "will be able to adopt real effective measures to strengthen the ban of biological and toxin weapons," according to Moscow (Interfax, Dec. 8).

The 2008 meeting is part of a series of sessions scheduled to address biological weapons topics between the 2006 review conference and the 2011 summit. On the agenda for this meeting were "national, regional and international measures to improve biosafety and biosecurity, including laboratory safety and security of pathogens and toxins," and "oversight, education, awareness raising, and adoption and/or development of codes of conduct with the aim of preventing misuse in the context of advances in bioscience and biotechnology with the potential of use for purposes prohibited by the convention," biological and chemical weapons expert Richard Guthrie said in the first of several reports from the meeting (Richard Guthrie report I, Dec. 1).

A number of nations and groupings of countries such as the Nonaligned Movement states offered statements during general debate on the first day of the meeting, Guthrie reported. Many addressed the importance of biosecurity and education, along with treaty universality and other topics (Richard Guthrie report II, Dec. 2).

There was discussion on the second day of the meeting on biosafety and biosecurity definitions and standards, Guthrie said. Discussion addressed the unlikelihood of producing a "one size fits all" understanding of biosafety and biosecurity by treaty states.

Beginning on the second day, some talks occurred behind closed doors (Richard Guthrie report III, Dec. 3).

Discussion on the third day regarding biological oversight addressed three areas: "oversight of science," "education and awareness raising" and "codes of conduct," according to Guthrie. Delegates also discussed universalization and other matters that were not formalized on the agenda.

Additionally, work began on a final report from the meeting (Richard Guthrie report IV, Dec. 4).

Negotiations continued behind closed doors Thursday on the report (Richard Guthrie report V, Dec. 5).

Delegates issued their final report shortly after noon Friday.

"The final report ... contains more detailed language about the subject matters that were under discussion," Guthrie stated. "The use of language is very careful to ensure that nothing might be construed as a decision or recommendation.

The United Nations posted an informal copy of the report on Friday. A formal version is expected to go online before long, according to Guthrie.

The next states parties meeting is scheduled for Dec. 7-11, 2009. The topic for discussion is "with a view to enhancing international cooperation, assistance and exchange in biological sciences and technology for peaceful purposes, promoting capacity building in the fields of disease surveillance, detection, diagnosis and containment of infectious diseases: (1) for states parties in need of assistance, identifying requirements and requests for capacity enhancement; and (2) from states parties in a position to do so, and international organizations, opportunities for providing assistance related to these fields" (Richard Guthrie report VI, Dec. 8).