BWC Meeting of Experts Statement by Victor Kholstov, Deputy Head of the Russian Delegation Director, Department for the Fulfillment of Conventional

Transcription

1 BWC Meeting of Experts Statement by Victor Kholstov, Deputy Head of the Russian Delegation Director, Department for the Fulfillment of Conventional Obligations, Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Geneva, 13 August 2015

2 Unofficial translation from Russian 1 The Russian Federation acts responsibly in implementing the provisions of the WBC on the national level and fulfills completely its commitments in this field. The updated information about existing and newly adopted laws in our country, rules and other measures concerning the implementation of the Convention on the national level is submitted by Russia each year within the framework of strengthening confidence-building measures on the form of «E». One of the priority goals of the state policy in this realm is to ensure security of researches with microorganisms for the benefit of development of science and technique in peaceful purposes, socio-economic progress and wellbeing of the population. All types and number of microorganisms which are used in Russia correspond to such goals. On the permanent basis Russia works on minimizing the risks of emergence of anthropogenic emergencies, related to the possibility of infection to working staff of microbiological objects, infection to the population residing around them or especially distribution of pathogens across the border. Simultaneously we attentively observe the situation in this field in other countries. We should note the profound concern about the situation due to the active researches of our US colleagues with causatives agents of extremely dangerous diseases and agents directly regarding the BWC. Analyses of the events occurred after the unilateral resolution adopted in 2001 concerning the suspension of work on the Protocol to the BWC reveals that all appeals to strengthen the Convention remain unrealized. What happens in reality is even decrease of effectiveness of the BWC. What are the reasons of this situation and USA refusal to elaborate Protocol? In our opinion, there are two possible reasons which could be analyzed. The first one. It can be suggested that in 2001 in the final part of elaboration of the Protocol to the BWC the USA official establishment realized, that they were not ready to take commitments on implementing control mechanism because they

3 did not entirely control the situation in the field of safe use of such agents even in its own country s territory. Actually, in one and a half month after failure of the negotiations on Protocol in September 2001 in the USA happened an incident with posting bioterrorism were posted spores of causative agents of anthrax. As a result five people were dead, tens were injured. But the problems were not over. In the following years more than 100 various incidents of loss or theft of pathogenic microorganisms and violations of safety terms of working with them were revealed. In 2014 at the meeting of experts of the state-parties of the BWC we heard explanations about the finding unrecorded and practically unguarded samples for many years with causative agents of smallpox. Now it was exposed to the public a new emergency situation related with posting of viable causative agents of anthrax. The list of posting comprises 86 of objects in 8 countries. It is worth noting the sending of pathogenic bacteria to the USA military basis in other countries particularly in South Korea and Germany. The results of alleged investigations turned to be unconvincing the guilty of that incident was made a scientific community. As a result of this incident not only American people were faced a high risk of extremely dangerous infection, but also citizens of other countries. The international attention was concentrated on the Test center in the name of L.Salomon. This military object is situated on the territory of the biggest testing ground of the USA ground forces in Utah, in the past known of its active participation in creating American chemical and biological weapon. Now this center gets grand financing on updating basic funds. According to the US information about the Center in the name of L.Salomon, 35 scientists work there. Nevertheless there is no any reference to the publications of these scientists in the reviewed magazines. This confirms that the content and the results of researches of such scientists are strictly classified as secret. 2

4 At our events within the framework of meetings of experts of the stateparties and sessions of the state-parties of the BWC we heard that the US authorities take measures and hold appropriate investigations to make the guilty answerable, preventing the emergence of new violations. At the same time continuing chain of alarming events suggests that such investigations were not held at all or they were rather ineffective. Besides, it is hard to imagine that there is no relevant legislative basis in the USA. From the other hand it can be suggested that in the basis of all this history are quite different reasons. We all remember that at the beginning of this year was an article of the US Global Catastrophic Risk Institute in which it was stated that a worthy alternative of nuclear winter could be measured and local use of biological agents or relevant components of chemical weapon in strategic purposes. There is a legitimate question are the abovementioned facts the links of one cunning chain of interrelated events answering the logic which is put into this article? If it is so, the picture of consecutive distribution of biological pathogen microorganisms with expansion of spheres of coverage of the territories in the USA and abroad would be clarified at once. Under such approach it is required the factor of «addiction» to such phenomena of unauthorized emergence of bio-agents where they are not waited for or they must not be there. Everyone is supposed to get used to the fact that such bio-agents «accidentally» appear in various corners of our planet even without the notification of proper states. Within the framework of proposed control mechanism on Protocol to the BWC such actions apparently would not be possible. It would be essential to notify the proper international organization and request a permission of concrete states. Proper groups of inspectors in the framework of the BWC would need to check it thoroughly. But the situation concerning destroyed international process of agreement on Protocol to the BWC is different. It happens that in such situation it is possible to act unilaterally according to its own plan and form its own «global biosecurity». 3

5 Moreover, the partners on the BWC do not particularly object and the «gates» for further more serious steps remain open. So, the posting of viable causative agent of anthrax revealed that the reality of creation of regional centers which could be a base for further infection to the vast territories in any regions of the planet, confirming the argument of the authors of the article of the US Global Catastrophic Risk Institute. Exactly such approach apparently is hided under the creation of new biological objects by the US Military Department on the territory of the states bordering with Russia and in many other regions of Asia and Africa. Besides, it becomes clear the purpose that the USA actively continues searching for causative agents of plague of the beginning of the 20 th century Spanish influenza and Black Death also and other most horrible pandemic of the past. We would like to get answer, with what purposes our American partners intend to expand its set of contagious agents. The Russian Federation is extremely concerned about the creation of global system of biological danger in our planet. We are convinced that we all should think it over with all the partners of the BWC. Mr. President, Dear ladies and gentleman, The Russian Federation once again pays attention to our Draft of the resolution of the forthcoming VIII Review Conference aimed at elaboration of the negotiation mandate Open Working group which is supposed to elaborate concrete measures starting in 2017 and proposals on strengthening the Convention and improving its implementation. We call on all responsible states to support process of negotiation of agreement of such Draft. From our point of view for the benefit of future generation we are obliged to prevent possible catastrophic scenario of biosecurity for all humanity and return all sensible international community to the way of creation of equal and inseparable system of global biosecurity for all in the framework of the BWC. 4