Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 30 May 1996

Vol. 466 No. 3

Written Answers. - Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention.

Kathleen Lynch

Ceist:

34 Kathleen Lynch asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress, if any, that has been made with regard to strengthening the implementation of the Biological and Toxic Weapons Convention, 1972 in view of the review conference due to take place in 1996; the proposals, if any, which Ireland will be making in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11247/96]

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

In September 1994 a Special Conference of States Parties to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, BTWC, decided to establish an ad hoc group to strengthen the convention by proposing a verification regime for consideration at the Fourth Revenue Conference or later at a special conference. To date, the ad hoc group has had one procedural and two substantive sessions. It will have two further two-week sessions, in July and September, in advance of the Fourth Review Conference which will take place in Geneva from 25 November to 6 December 1996. While it is not anticipated that a draft verification Protocol will be ready for adoption this year, the review conference will give political and diplomatic impetus to the process of strengthening the convention.

Ireland will have a vice-Presidency post at the review conference. We will seek to strengthen compliance with the international system of non-proliferation of biological and toxin weapons by promoting universal adherence to the BTWC and a successful conclusion to the negotiations aimed at reinforcing the convention with a legally binding and effective verification regime. To this end, it is important that the review conference should decide to intensify the work with a view to adoption of a BTWC Protocol no later than mid-1998. This implies a substantial increase in the time allocated to BTWC work in 1997 and 1998, irrespective of other priorities on the international disarmament agenda.

I hope that the European Union, which will have an important role at the review conference, will shortly adopt a common position reflecting these objectives. As Presidency, Ireland will lead a series of EU Troika démarches with a view to encouraging more states parties to become engaged in the work of thead hoc group and at enlisting their support for the technical proposals the EU will be advancing in that forum and at the review conference. For the purpose of promoting the universality of the convention, we will also lead Troika démarches to states which have yet to become party to the convention. Ireland will deliver a statement on behalf of the EU at the beginning of the review conference.

It is clear that the period of the Irish Presidency could be crucial to the final outcome of efforts to strengthen the BTWC. We will do all we can during our term of office to give impetus to the negotiations.