Officially known as the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction, the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) (also sometimes referrred to as just the BWC) was signed in Moscow, London, and Washington on April 10, 1972 and entered into force on March 26, 1975. It bans the possession, use, and development of biological agents, toxins, and weapons that may be used for hostile purposes.
Biological
Weapons Convention (text)
as of June 2005:
Number of
States Parties: 155
Number of Signatories (unratified): 16
Number of Non-Signatories: 23
Biological and Toxin Weapons
Convention (BTWC) (website)
A factual compendium of official documentation and
information on the BTWC, its Review Conferences, and ongoing efforts
to strengthen the BTWC; administered by the Department of Peace Studies
of the University of Bradford, UK.
Key Documents and Links
Related U.S. Documents
Papers
Press Releases
Press Reports
Congressional Testimony and Hearings
The Biological Weapons Convention (and preceding Geneva Protocol) explicitly prohibit biological weapons; however, the treaties and convention lack a legally binding compliance and verification protocol. Negotiations on a legally binding verification protocol for the BWC took place from 1994 to 2001. Although unsuccessful, the negotiations may provide a basis for renewed efforts in the future.
Reports on Ad Hoc Group meetings, protocol rolling text revisions and annexes, procedural reports, and Ad Hoc Group working papers can be found at:
Press Reports
Op-Eds
Papers
Congressional Testimony and Hearings
Other Resources