Lieutenant-General Igor Kirillov, head of the Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Troops of the Russian Armed Forces, said that Western countries have blocked attempts by Russia to strengthen its biological weapons non-proliferation regime. DEA News.
From 28 November to 16 December, the Ninth Review Conference of States Parties to the Biological and Toxic Weapons Convention (BTWC) was held in Geneva, Switzerland.
According to Kirillov, this event was set against the background of the United States’ history of conducting military biological research in Ukraine, the increase in the incidence of H1N1 swine flu, and the spread of African swine fever.
The lieutenant general said that the conference discussed the current status of the Convention on the Prohibition of Biological and Toxic Weapons, compliance with its provisions and increasing the “transparency” of national biological programs.
Kirillov added that Russia proposes to strengthen the biological non-proliferation regime and improve confidence-building measures within the framework of the BTWC. effective verification mechanism
The Russian Federation also proposed expanding the format of confidence-building measures by providing information on research and development in the field of biological protection carried out outside the national territory.
“These proposals were blocked by the collective West. Only proposals to start negotiations on the creation of a scientific advisory committee did not raise any objections, ”Kirillov said.
According to him, the United States has made it clear that although this proposal is supported by more than 120 countries, it will not allow language in the final document about the importance of a legally binding protocol and verification procedures.
Gennady Gatilov, Former Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN Headquarters in Geneva declarationthat it is impossible to underestimate the value of the Biological Weapons Convention (BTWC), despite its lack of a legally binding protocol.