Written Answers - Chemical and Biological Weapons.
Question:
56
Mr. Coveney
asked the
Minister for Foreign Affairs
if he will list, in order of descending magnitude, those states who are internationally considered to be producing and stockpiling chemical and biological weapons; and if he will give an estimate of the amount of these weapons held by each state.
[4275/98]
There are two international conventions governing chemical and biological weapons. These are the Chemical Weapons Convention (1993) and the Biological Weapons Convention (1972).
There are 165 states signatories and 106 states parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention; while there are 140 states both signatories and parties to the Biological Weapons Convention. Ireland is a state party to both conventions.
The Chemical Weapons Convention prohibits the development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons and provides for their destruction. As such it represents a total ban on these weapons. This convention entered into force in 1997. It now includes as states parties both the Russian Federation and the United States, which had originally declared possession of chemical weapons, and other countries such as India and the Republic of Korea which recently declared chemical weapons possession in their initial declarations under the convention. Countries which declare chemical weapons possession are obliged to destroy such weapons within ten years of their accession to the convention. Other countries with significant chemical industries such as Iran and Pakistan have more recently acceded to the Treaty and until we have received their initial declarations we will not be in a position to state whether they will declare chemical weapons possession. The Chemical Weapons Convention — in spite of having only recently entered into force — is fast becoming a global disarmament treaty. However, in the Middle East, Israel and its Arab neighours show little sign of becoming parties to the convention. The mutual suspicions and tension characteristic of the region do not augur well for the early ratification of the convention by this group of states, the adherence of which is of considerable importance for the universal application of the convention. Ireland together with its partners in the European Union is actively promoting the early accession to the convention by these states.
The Biological Weapons Convention prohibits the development, production and stockpiling of bacteriological and toxin weapons and provides for their destruction, and is therefore also a total ban. This Convention entered into force in 1975. The Convention was concluded without a verification mechanism and as a consequence, in September 1994, a special conferece of states parties decided to establish anad hoc group to develop a compliance regime, which would mirror to the extent relevant that of the Chemical Weapons Convention. The ad hoc group is working intensively for the purpose of completing its substantive work on verification mechanism before the end of this year.
The addition of a verification mechanism for the Biological Weapons Convention will provide greater confidence in the implementation of the provisions of the convention, as biological research and development and the biological sciences have generally become more widespread in the intervening years since its conclusion 1972.
The Deputy will have followed the events relating to the investigation by UNSCOM of chemical and biological weapons in Iraq. The International Community's abhorrence of these weapons is evident in the strong response to that development. This reinforces the need for universal adherence to the two applicable conventions I have described above. Ireland will continue to work together with our partners in the European Union to promote the early universal application of these conventions as well as the early conclusion of a verification mechanism for the Biological Weapons Convention. We will also work with like-minded countries to prevent any unwitting contribution by Irish companies in the supply of products, equipment, components or sub-components which could contribute to the development of chemical or biological weapons capacity.
