Written question asked by Tam Dalyell (Labour) on Wednesday, 4 April 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 27 April 2001. It was answered by Brian Wilson (Labour) on Friday, 27 April 2001 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on progress made in the negotiations in Geneva on a protocol to strengthen the Biological Weapons Convention.

Answer: Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress made in the negotiations in Geneva on a protocol to strengthen the Biological Weapons Convention. [157441] Mr. Wilson: On 30 March the Chairman of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) Ad Hoc Group, Ambassador Tibor Toth of Hungary, tabled the text of a draft Protocol to the BWC. This has been sent to all States Parties and will come under discussion at the next negotiating session which begins in Geneva on 23 April. The UK has played a leading role throughout these negotiations as we have had responsibility for the section of the text on compliance measures--the core of the future Protocol. We welcome the appearance of the text and are currently assessing its overall content. A successful outcome by the time of the BWC Review Conference remains a possibility but will depend upon the reaction to the text from all countries involved over the coming months. An effective BWC Protocol remains an important arms control objective for the United Kingdom as it will help fill the last remaining gap in Treaty provisions designed to stem the proliferation of WMD.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 157441; 367 c419W
Session: 2000-01
Subjects: Chemical and biological warfare Biological weapons Arms control Treaties Verification Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention Geneva
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk