Microchallenges of Chemical Weapons Proliferation

摘要

The Geneva Protocol of 1925 was established to ban the use of asphyxiating and poisonous gases in intemational conflict but did not restrict their possession. The stockpiling of chemical weapons continued throughout World War II and the Cold War withthe development of more lethal and sophisticated agents. The continuing threat of chemical warfare and the actual use of chemical weapons in the developing world led to multilateral negotiations of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which entered force in 1997 (1). The CWC was drafted according to the practices of the chemical industry at the time (2). However, recent technological advancements within the chemical industry have the potential to threaten the effectiveness of the CWC's provisions forverification and compliance.