THE PROHIBITION OF CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS

摘要

There is little doubt that BW today present the greatest danger as they can have effects comparable to nuclear weapons yet are easier to obtain than either nuclear or chemical weapons and have a much weaker prohibition regime than nuclear or chemical weapons. Recent developments, notably the Iraqi BW programme gradually uncovered by UNSCOM, have raised international awareness of the dangers posed by BW and have led NATO to recognise the need for increased emphasis on BW protection. The recent entry into force of the CWC with its comprehensive verification regime and the recent transition of the Ad Hoc Group negotiations to consideration of a rolling text for a legally binding instrument to strengthen the BTWC make it timely that this NATO ASI is addressing new scientific and technological aspects of verification of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC).