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RS 0.515.07 Convention of 10 April 1972 on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction

Original Language Title: RS 0.515.07 Convention du 10 avril 1972 sur l’interdiction de la mise au point, de la fabrication et du stockage des armes bactériologiques (biologiques) ou à toxines et sur leur destruction

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0.515.07

Original text

Convention

On the prohibition of the development, manufacture and storage of bacteriological (biological) or toxin weapons and their destruction

Cited in London, Moscow and Washington on 10 April 1972

Approved by the Federal Assembly on 26 June 1973 1

Instrument of ratification deposited by Switzerland on 4 May 1976

Entry into force for Switzerland on 4 May 1976

(State on 10 June 2015)

The States Parties to this Convention,

Committed to work towards effective progress on the road to general and complete disarmament, including the prohibition and elimination of all types of weapons of mass destruction, and being convinced that the prohibition of The development, manufacture and stockpiling of chemical and bacteriological (biological) weapons and their destruction, through effective measures, will contribute to the achievement of general and complete disarmament under international control Strict and effective

Recognising the great importance of the Protocol on the Prohibition of Employment in the War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or Similar Gases and of Bacteriological Means, signed at Geneva on 17 June 1925 2 , as well as the role that protocol played and continues to play in mitigating the horrors of war,

Reaffirming their fidelity to the principles and objectives of this Protocol and calling upon all States to comply strictly with them,

Recalling that the General Assembly of the United Nations has repeatedly condemned all acts contrary to the principles and objectives of the Geneva Protocol of 17 June 1925,

Wishing to contribute to building trust between peoples and to improve the overall health of the international atmosphere,

Also wishing to contribute to the achievement of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations 3 ,

Convinced of the importance and urgency of excluding arsenals from States, through effective measures, of weapons of mass destruction as dangerous as those involving the use of chemical or bacteriological agents (biological),

Recognising that an agreement on the prohibition of bacteriological (biological) or toxin weapons represents a possible first step towards reaching an agreement on effective measures to prohibit also the development, The manufacture and stockpiling of chemical weapons, and being resolved to continue negotiations to that end,

Resolved, in the interests of all humanity, to completely exclude the possibility of bacteriological (biological) agents or toxins being used as weapons,

Convinced that the conscience of humanity would restore the use of such methods and that no effort should be spared to reduce that risk,

Agreed to the following:

Art. I

Each State Party to this Convention undertakes not to, under any circumstances, develop, manufacture, store or otherwise acquire or maintain:

1.
Microbiological or other biological agents, as well as toxins of whatever origin or mode of production, of types and quantities not intended for prophylactic, protective or other purposes Peaceful;
2.
Weapons, equipment or means of delivery for the use of such agents or toxins for hostile purposes or in armed conflicts.
Art. II

Each State Party to this Convention undertakes to destroy or convert for peaceful purposes, as soon as possible and in any case not later than nine months after the entry into force of the Convention, all agents, toxins, weapons, Equipment and vectors referred to in Article 1 of the Convention which are in its possession or under its jurisdiction or control. In carrying out the provisions of this Article, all necessary precautionary measures shall be taken to protect populations and the environment.

Art. III

Each State Party to this Convention undertakes not to transfer to anyone, directly or indirectly, any of the agents, toxins, weapons, equipment or vehicles referred to in article 1 of the Convention and Not to assist, encourage or induce in any way a State, a group of States or an international organization to manufacture or otherwise acquire any of the said agents, toxins, weapons, equipment or means of delivery.

Art. IV

Each State Party to this Convention undertakes to take, in accordance with the procedures provided for in its Constitution, the measures necessary to prohibit and prevent the development, manufacture, stockpiling, acquisition or preservation of Agents, toxins, weapons, equipment and means of delivery referred to in article 1 of the Convention, within the territory of such a State, under its jurisdiction or under its control in any place.

Art. V

The States Parties to this Convention undertake to consult and cooperate with each other in order to resolve any problems which may arise in relation to the objective of the Convention, or with regard to the application of its provisions. The consultations and cooperation provided for in this article may also be undertaken through appropriate international procedures within the framework of the United Nations and in accordance with its Charter.

Art. VI

(1) Each State Party to this Convention which finds that another party is in breach of the obligations under the provisions of the Convention may file a complaint with the Security Council of the United Nations. This complaint must provide all possible evidence of its validity and include the request for its consideration by the Security Council.

(2) Each State Party to this Convention undertakes to cooperate in any investigation that may be undertaken by the Security Council in accordance with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations following a complaint by the Security Council. The Security Council shall inform the States Parties to the Convention of the results of the investigation.

Art. VII

Each State Party to this Convention undertakes to provide assistance, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, to any Party to the Convention that so requests, if the Security Council decides that that Party has been exposed to danger As a result of a violation of the Convention, or to facilitate the assistance provided to that Party.

Art. VIII

Nothing in this Convention shall be construed as restricting or diminishing in any way the commitments assumed by any State under the Protocol on the Prohibition of the Use of the Gas War Asphyxiating, toxic or similar, and bacteriological means, signed at Geneva on June 17, 1925.

Art. IX

Each State Party to this Convention affirms the recognized objective of an effective prohibition of chemical weapons and, to that end, undertakes to pursue, in a spirit of goodwill, negotiations in order to achieve, at an early date, a Agreement on effective measures for a ban on their development, manufacture and storage and for their destruction, and on appropriate measures relating to equipment and vectors specifically for use in Manufacturing or use of chemical agents for weapons purposes.

Art. X

1. The States Parties to this Convention undertake to facilitate the widest possible exchange of equipment, materials and scientific and technical information relating to the use of biological bacteriological agents) and For peaceful purposes and have the right to participate in this exchange. The parties to the Convention who are in a position to do so will also cooperate by providing, individually or jointly, with other States or international organizations, their assistance in the future extension and application of discoveries Scientists in the field of bacteriology (biology), for the prevention of diseases or for other peaceful purposes.

2. This Convention shall be applied in such a way as to avoid any impediment to the economic or technical development of the States Parties to the Convention or to international cooperation in the field of peaceful bacteriological (biological) activities, Including the international exchange of bacteriological (biological) and toxin agents, as well as material for the development, use or production of biological (biological) agents and toxins for peaceful purposes In accordance with the provisions of the Convention.

Art. XI

Any State Party may propose amendments to this Convention. These amendments shall enter into force, with respect to any State Party which has accepted them, upon their acceptance by the majority of the States Parties to the Convention and, thereafter, with respect to each of the other States Parties, on the date on which that State Party State will have accepted them.

Art. XII

Five years after the entry into force of this Convention, or before that date if a majority of the parties to the Convention so request by submitting a proposal to that effect to the depositary Governments, a conference of the States Parties to the Convention Convention will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, in order to examine the functioning of the Convention, with a view to ensuring that the objectives set out in the preamble and the provisions of the Convention, including those relating to the negotiation of weapons Chemical, are in the process of being implemented. The review will take into account all new scientific and technical developments relevant to the Convention.

Art. XIII

1. This Convention shall be concluded for an unlimited period.

(2) Each State Party to this Convention shall have, in the exercise of its national sovereignty, the right to withdraw from the Convention if it considers that extraordinary events relating to the object of the Convention have jeopardisen The country's superior. It will notify all other States parties to the Convention and the United Nations Security Council of this withdrawal with three months' notice. In this notification, it will indicate the extraordinary events that it considers to have jeopardisen its higher interests.

Art. XIV

(1) This Convention shall be open for signature by all States. Any State which has not signed the Convention before its entry into force in accordance with paragraph 3 of this Article may accede to it at any time.

2. This Convention shall be subject to ratification by the signatory States. Instruments of ratification and instruments of accession shall be deposited with the Governments of the United States of America, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, which are Hereby designated as the Depositary Governments.

(3) This Convention shall enter into force when twenty-two Governments, including Governments which are designated as depositary Governments of the Convention, shall have deposited their instruments of ratification.

4. For States whose instruments of ratification or accession shall be deposited after the entry into force of this Convention, this Convention shall enter into force on the date of deposit of their instruments of ratification or accession.

(5) Depositary Governments shall promptly inform all States which have signed or acceded to this Convention of the date of each signature, of the date of deposit of each instrument of ratification or accession, of the date of entry In force of this Convention, as well as the receipt of any other communication.

This Convention shall be registered by the Depositary Governments in accordance with Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations.

Art. XV

This Convention, of which the English, Russian, French, Spanish and Chinese texts are equally authentic, shall be deposited in the archives of the Depositary Governments. Certified copies of the Convention shall be sent by the Depositary Governments to the Governments of the States which have signed or acceded to the Convention.

In times of what, The undersigned, duly authorized to that effect, have signed this Convention.

Done in three copies, in London, Moscow and Washington, on April 10, nine hundred and two.

(Suivent signatures)

Scope of application on 10 June 2015 4

States Parties

Ratification

Accession (A)

Statement of Succession (S)

Entry into force

Afghanistan

26 March

1975

26 March

1975

South Africa

3 November

1975

3 November

1975

Albania

3 June

1992 A

3 June

1992

Algeria

28 September

2001 A

28 September

2001

Germany

7 April

1983

7 April

1983

Antigua and Barbuda

29 January

2003

29 January

2003

Saudi Arabia

24 May

1972

26 March

1975

Argentina

27 November

1979

27 November

1979

Armenia

7 June

1994 A

7 June

1994

Australia

5 October

1977

5 October

1977

Austria *

10 August

1973

26 March

1975

Azerbaijan

26 February

2004 A

26 February

2004

Bahamas

26 November

1986 A

26 November

1986

Bahrain

28 October

1988 A

28 October

1988

Bangladesh

12 March

1985 A

13 March

1985

Barbados

February 16

1973

26 March

1975

Belarus

26 March

1975

26 March

1975

Belgium

15 March

1979

15 March

1979

Belize

20 October

1986 S

21 September

1981

Benin

April 25

1975

April 25

1975

Bhutan

8 June

1978 A

8 June

1978

Bolivia

30 October

1975

30 October

1975

Bosnia and Herzegovina

August 15

1994 S

6 March

1992

Botswana

5 February

1992

5 February

1992

Brazil

February 27

1973

26 March

1975

Brunei

31 January

1991 A

31 January

1991

Bulgaria

2 August

1972

26 March

1975

Burkina Faso

April 17

1991 A

April 17

1991

Burundi

18 October

2011

18 October

2011

Cambodia

March 9

1983

March 9

1983

Cameroon

January 18

2013 A

January 18

2013

Canada

18 September

1972

26 March

1975

Cape Verde

20 October

1977 A

20 October

1977

Chile

22 April

1980

22 April

1980

China

15 November

1984 A

15 November

1984

Hong Kong

20 June

1997

26 March

1975

Cyprus

6 November

1973

26 March

1975

Colombia

19 December

1983

19 December

1983

Congo (Brazzaville)

23 October

1978 A

23 October

1978

Congo, Kinshasa

16 September

1975

16 September

1975

Korea (North)

13 March

1987 A

13 March

1987

Korea (South)

25 June

1987

25 June

1987

Costa Rica

17 December

1973

26 March

1975

Croatia

28 April

1993 S

8 October

1991

Cuba

April 21

1976

April 21

1976

Denmark

1 Er March

1973

26 March

1975

El Salvador

31 December

1991

31 December

1991

United Arab Emirates

19 June

2008

19 June

2008

Ecuador

12 March

1975

12 March

1975

Spain

20 June

1979

20 June

1979

Estonia

7 June

1993 A

7 June

1993

United States

26 March

1975

26 March

1975

Ethiopia

26 May

1975

26 May

1975

Fiji

4 September

1973

26 March

1975

Finland

4 February

1974

26 March

1975

France

27 September

1984 A

27 September

1984

Gabon

August 16

2007

August 16

2007

Gambia

7 May

1997

7 May

1997

Georgia

22 May

1996 A

22 May

1996

Ghana

6 June

1975

6 June

1975

Greece

10 December

1975

10 December

1975

Grenada

22 October

1986 A

22 October

1986

Guatemala

19 September

1973

26 March

1975

Equatorial Guinea

16 January

1989 A

16 January

1989

Guinea-Bissau

August 20

1976 A

August 20

1976

Guyana

26 March

2013

26 March

2013

Honduras

March 14

1979

March 14

1979

Hungary

27 December

1972

26 March

1975

Cook Islands

4 December

2008 A

4 December

2008

Marshall Islands

15 November

2012 A

15 November

2012

India

July 15

1974

26 March

1975

Indonesia

19 February

1992

19 February

1992

Iran

22 August

1973

26 March

1975

Ireland

27 October

1972

26 March

1975

Iceland

February 15

1973

26 March

1975

Italy

30 May

1975

30 May

1975

Jamaica

13 August

1975 A

13 August

1975

Japan

8 June

1982

8 June

1982

Jordan

30 May

1975

30 May

1975

Kazakhstan

15 June

2007 A

15 June

2007

Kenya

7 January

1976 A

7 January

1976

Kuwait

18 July

1972

26 March

1975

Laos

20 March

1973

26 March

1975

Lesotho

September 6

1977

September 6

1977

Latvia

February 6

1997 A

February 6

1997

Lebanon

26 March

1975

26 March

1975

Libya

19 January

1982 A

19 January

1982

Liechtenstein

30 May

1991 A

30 May

1991

Lithuania

10 February

1998 A

10 February

1998

Luxembourg

23 March

1976

23 March

1976

Macedonia

26 December

1996 S

September 17

1991

Madagascar

7 March

2008

7 March

2008

Malaysia

September 6

1991

September 6

1991

Malawi

2 April

2013

2 April

2013

Maldives

1 Er July

1993 A

1 Er July

1993

Mali

25 November

2002

25 November

2002

Malta

7 April

1975

7 April

1975

Morocco

21 March

2002

21 March

2002

Mauritius

7 August

1972

26 March

1975

Mauritania

28 January

2015 A

28 January

2015

Mexico

April 8

1974

26 March

1975

Moldova

28 January

2005 A

28 January

2005

Monaco

April 30

1999 A

April 30

1999

Mongolia

September 5

1972

26 March

1975

Montenegro

9 January

2007 S

3 June

2006

Mozambique

March 29

2011 A

March 29

2011

Myanmar

1 Er December

2014

1 Er December

2014

Nauru

March 5

2013 A

March 5

2013

Nicaragua

7 August

1975

7 August

1975

Niger

23 June

1972

26 March

1975

Nigeria

3 July

1973

26 March

1975

Norway

1 Er August

1973

26 March

1975

New Zealand

13 December

1972

26 March

1975

Oman

March 31

1992 A

March 31

1992

Uganda

12 May

1992 A

12 May

1992

Uzbekistan

2 January

1996 A

2 January

1996

Pakistan

September 25

1974

26 March

1975

Palau

20 February

2003 A

20 February

2003

Panama

20 March

1974

26 March

1975

Papua New Guinea

27 October

1980 A

27 October

1980

Paraguay

9 June

1976 A

9 June

1976

Netherlands

22 June

1981

22 June

1981

Aruba

1 Er January

1986

22 June

1981

Curaçao

22 June

1981

22 June

1981

Caribbean (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba)

22 June

1981

22 June

1981

Sint Maarten

22 June

1981

22 June

1981

Peru

5 June

1985

5 June

1985

Philippines

21 May

1973

26 March

1975

Poland

25 January

1973

26 March

1975

Portugal

15 May

1975

15 May

1975

Qatar

April 17

1975

April 17

1975

Dominican Republic

23 February

1973

26 March

1975

Czech Republic

24 March

1993 S

1 Er January

1993

Romania

July 25

1979

26 July

1979

United Kingdom

26 March

1975

26 March

1975

New Hebrides (French-British condominium)

26 March

1975 A

26 March

1975

Territories under the territorial sovereignty of the United Kingdom

26 March

1975 A

26 March

1975

Russia

26 March

1975

26 March

1975

Rwanda

20 May

1975

20 May

1975

Saint Kitts and Nevis

2 April

1991 A

2 April

1991

Saint Lucia

26 November

1986 S

22 February

1979

San Marino

March 11

1975

26 March

1975

Holy See

7 January

2002 A

7 January

2002

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

13 May

1999 S

27 October

1979

Solomon Islands

17 June

1981 S

7 July

1978

Sao Tome and Principe

August 24

1979 A

August 24

1979

Senegal

26 March

1975

26 March

1975

Serbia

13 June

2001 S

April 27

1992

Seychelles

11 October

1979 A

11 October

1979

Sierra Leone

29 June

1976

29 June

1976

Singapore

2 December

1975

2 December

1975

Slovakia

17 May

1993 S

1 Er January

1993

Slovenia

7 April

1992 S

25 June

1991

Sudan

17 October

2003 A

17 October

2003

Sri Lanka

18 November

1986

18 November

1986

Sweden

5 February

1976

5 February

1976

Switzerland *

4 May

1976

4 May

1976

Suriname

6 January

1993 A

6 January

1993

Swaziland

18 June

1991 A

18 June

1991

Tajikistan

27 June

2005

27 June

2005

Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)

February 9

1973

26 March

1975

Thailand

28 May

1975

28 May

1975

Timor-Leste

5 May

2003 A

5 May

2003

Togo

10 November

1976

10 November

1976

Tonga

28 September

1976 A

28 September

1976

Trinidad and Tobago

19 July

2007 A

19 July

2007

Tunisia

18 May

1973

26 March

1975

Turkmenistan

11 January

1996 A

11 January

1996

Turkey

25 October

1974

26 March

1975

Ukraine

26 March

1975

26 March

1975

Uruguay

April 6

1981 A

April 6

1981

Venezuela

18 October

1978

18 October

1978

Vietnam

20 June

1980 A

20 June

1980

Yemen

1 Er June

1979

1 Er June

1979

Zambia

15 January

2008 A

15 January

2008

Zimbabwe

5 November

1990 A

5 November

1990

*
Reservations and declarations, see below.

Reservations and declarations

Austria

In view of the obligations arising from its perpetually neutral status, the Republic of Austria reserves the reservation that its cooperation in the framework of this Convention cannot go beyond the limits determined by the status of neutrality And as a member of the United Nations.

This reservation specifically refers to Article VII of the Convention and any similar provision which could replace or supplement this provision.

Switzerland

1. Because the Convention also applies to weapons, equipment or means of delivery for the use of biological agents or toxins, the delimitation of its scope may give rise to difficulties, given that there are hardly any weapons, Typical equipment or vectors for this job. Switzerland therefore reserves the right to decide which ancillary means fall under this definition.

2. Because of the obligations resulting from its perpetually neutral status, Switzerland is bound to make the general reservation that its cooperation in the framework of this Convention cannot go beyond what it imposes on it. This reservation specifically refers to Article VII of the Convention and any similar provision which could replace or supplement this provision in the Convention (or in another arrangement).


RO 1976 1439; FF 1973 I 290


1 RO 1976 1429
2 RS 0.515.105
3 RS 0.120
4 RO 1976 1444, 1979 956, 1981 80, 1982 1316, 1983 1196, 1985 747, 1987 872, 1991 1031, 2004 1381, 2007 4771, 2008 3755, 2011 3549, 2015 2129. A version of the updated scope of application is published on the DFAE website (www.dfae.admin.ch/traites).


Status on 10 June 2015