ON THE COMPLETION OF THE SECOND PART OF THE FIFTH REVIEW CONFERENCE OF THE BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION

Unofficial translation from Russian

PRESS RELEASE

The second part of the Fifth Review Conference of the Biological Weapons Convention concluded in Geneva on November 15. Unfortunately, the results of the conference have not justified the expectations of the absolute majority of the participants in the Convention, which had striven for its strengthening by the elaboration of legally binding verification measures.

Yet the compromise decision adopted by the Conference, which was backed by the Russian Federation, is necessary in the light of the intensification of the struggle against international terrorism seeking access to weapons of mass destruction, and enables continuing in a multilateral format the discussion of measures to guarantee observance of the Convention. It is important that the final decision provides for holding in the years 2003-2005 the annual meetings of the states parties to the Convention and appropriate meetings of experts.

The Russian Federation intends to actively participate in the work of these fora. In so doing together with like-minded partners we will try to achieve the resumption of multilateral negotiations to work out legally binding measures for the verification of the observance of the Convention.

November 18, 2002