CONFERENCE ON BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS HEARS STATEMENTS BY SAUDI ARABIA AND ITALY IN CONTEXT OF GENERAL DEBATE

The Sixth Review Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction continued with its general debate this afternoon, hearing statements from Saudi Arabia and Italy.

Saudi Arabia said the Conference was meeting at a time when the world was passing through an important and delicate stage in which the international community needed to concert its peaceful efforts to ensure that security and stability prevailed throughout the world, failing which mankind would not be able to achieve the lofty objectives to which it was aspiring. The discussions, deliberations and outcome of this important Conference would undoubtedly make a substantial and useful contribution in this field.

Italy said appropriate control of materials and law enforcement efforts to detect biological agents should be undertaken. The General Assembly resolution 288 of the current regular session set out a counter-terrorism strategy, including the fight against bio-terrorism. It contained several mentions dealing with threats to bio-terrorism. States Parties had the opportunity to address bio-terrorism and include the issue in their plans of work for the period 2007-2010, and to look into strengthening current measures and develop, if necessary new ones.

The Conference also appointed Bulgaria, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Mongolia and Tunisia as members of the Credentials Committee.

The next public plenary meeting of the Conference will be on Tuesday, 28 November at 3 p.m. for a progress review.


Statements

NAIF BEN BANDAR AL SUDAIRY (Saudi Arabia) said the Conference was meeting at a time when the world was passing through an important and delicate stage in which the international community needed to concert its peaceful efforts to ensure that security and stability prevailed throughout the world, failing which mankind would not be able to achieve the lofty objectives to which it was aspiring. Accordingly, the Convention unquestionably formed a sound basis on which to address this delicate situation. The Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was committed to the Convention, and in particular to the need for Article X to be fully consistent with the aims and provisions thereof.

In order to enable the United Nations and other international organizations to play the role required of them, all members of the international community should respect and diligently pursue the principles and purposes, including primarily the maintenance of international peace and security, as stipulated in the United Nations Charter. The discussions, deliberations and outcome of this important Conference would undoubtedly make a substantial and useful contribution in this field. The Conference should have a useful and constructive outcome for the States parties.

CARLO TREZZA (Italy) said that next week the Review Conference should enter into a more operational mode. So at this stage, Italy wished to address the issue of bio-terrorism. The Secretary-General had referred in his address to the issue of bio-terrorism, as had many other delegations. Bio-terrorism deserved attention by the Sixth Review Conference of the Biological Weapons Convention. Bio-terrorism was not specifically mentioned in the Convention. Italy had made a survey of the legally binding and not legally binding international instruments on this issue and had found that there were not many. Other legal binding instruments included some Security Council resolutions.

Italy said that appropriate control of materials and law enforcement efforts to detect biological agents should be undertaken. The General Assembly resolution 288 of the current regular session set out a counter-terrorism strategy, including the fight against bio-terrorism. It contained several mentions dealing with threats to bio-terrorism. Italy thought that States Parties had the opportunity to address bio-terrorism and include it in their plans of work for the period 2007-2010, and to look into strengthening current measures and develop, if necessary new ones.


For use of the information media; not an official record

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