7.–11.12.2009 in Geneva, Switzerland
A major goal of this meeting was the “consideration of, 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” , as part of the 2007-2010 Intersessional (inter Review Conference) Process.
Ambassador Marius Grinius of Canada, the chairman of the meeting, set aside time during the meeting on Monday, December 7, for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to present short statements. The NGOs presenting statements included the University of Bradford; Biosecurity Working Group of the Inter-Academy Panel on International Issues; International Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility (INES); Center for Arms Control and Non Proliferation/Scientists Working Group on Biological Weapons; BioWeapons Prevention Project (BWPP); Verification Research, Training and Information Centre (VERTIC); Research Group for Biological Arms Control, Hamburg; National Defence Medical College of Japan & University of Bradford; London School of Economics; Pax Christi International; and European Biosafety Association.
INES statement to the Meeting of States Parties to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, Geneva December 2009
Kathryn Nixdorff
One of the partial successes of the Sixth Review Conference of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC) in 2006 was the agreement by the States Parties on a new work programme for 2007-2010, to be carried out in a series of annual meetings up to the Seventh Review Conference in 2011. A different set of topics is to be covered each year during a one-week Meeting of Experts, followed by a one-week Meeting of States Parties.The stated purpose of these meetings is "to discuss, and promote common understanding and effective action" on the topics under consideration.
The themes for both meetings in 2007 were (1) "Ways and means to enhance national implementation, including enforcement of national legislation, strengthening of national institutions and coordination among national law enforcement institutions", and (2) "Regional and sub-regional cooperation on BWC implementation". In August 2007 a one week Meeting of Experts to consider these topics was followed in December by a Meeting of States Parties, thus completing the first round of this new Inter-Review Conference work programme. Both meetings proceeded under the very able chairmanship of Ambassador Masood Khan of Pakistan, who had also been the president of the Sixth Review Conference. The following is a brief report on the results of these meetings.
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