United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/69/82

Sixty-ninth session

Agenda item 103

The General Assembly,

Recalling its previous resolutions relating to the complete and effective prohibition of bacteriological (biological) and toxin weapons and to their destruction,

Stressing that, although there are now 170 States parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction, including all the permanent members of the Security Council, there is a continuing need to achieve universalization of the Convention,

Reaffirming its call upon all signatory States that have not yet ratified the Convention to do so without delay, and calling upon those States that have not signed the Convention to become parties thereto at the earliest possible date, thus contributing to the achievement of universal adherence to the Convention,

Bearing in mind its call upon all States parties to the Convention to participate in the implementation of the recommendations of the review conferences of the parties to the Convention, including the exchange of information and data agreed to in the Final Declaration of the Third Review Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction, later amended by the Final Declaration of the Seventh Review Conference, and to provide such information and data in conformity with the standardized procedure to the Implementation Support Unit within the Office for Disarmament Affairs of the Secretariat on an annual basis and no later than 15 April,

Welcoming the reaffirmation made in the Final Declarations of the Fourth, Sixth and Seventh Review Conferences that under all circumstances the use of bacteriological (biological) and toxin weapons and their development, production and stockpiling are effectively prohibited under article I of the Convention,

Recognizing the importance of ongoing efforts by States parties to enhance international cooperation, assistance and the fullest possible exchange in biological sciences and technology for peaceful purposes, recognizing also that there still remain challenges and obstacles to be overcome in order to enhance international cooperation, and recognizing further the value of building capacity through international cooperation, in line with the Final Document of the Seventh Review Conference,

Reaffirming the importance of national measures, in accordance with constitutional processes, in strengthening the implementation of the Convention by States parties, in line with the Final Document of the Seventh Review Conference,

Reaffirming also the importance of the review of developments in the field of science and technology related to the Convention,

Noting the decision of the Seventh Review Conference to retain the previous structures from the 2003–2010 intersessional process, consisting of annual meetings of States parties preceded by annual meetings of experts, and to continue to allocate five days to each meeting of States parties and each meeting of experts during the 2012–2015 intersessional process,

Recalling the decision of the Seventh Review Conference that the Eighth Review Conference shall be held in Geneva not later than 2016,

1. Notes with satisfaction the successful outcome of and the decisions on all provisions of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction1 reached at the Seventh Review Conference of the States Parties to the Convention, and calls upon States parties to the Convention to participate and actively engage in their implementation;

2. Notes with appreciation the decision of the Seventh Review Conference that the standing agenda items entitled “Cooperation and assistance, with a particular focus on strengthening cooperation and assistance under Article X”, “Review of developments in the field of science and technology related to the Convention” and “Strengthening national implementation” shall be addressed at both the meeting of experts and the meeting of States parties, every year from 2012 to 2015;

3. Also notes with appreciation that the Seventh Review Conference decided that the questions of (a) how to enable fuller participation in the confidence-building measures, and (b) how to strengthen implementation of article VII, including consideration of detailed procedures and mechanisms for the provision of assistance and cooperation by States parties, shall be discussed in 2012 and 2013 and 2014 and 2015, respectively, during the 2012–2015 intersessional process;

4. Notes with satisfaction that the meeting of States parties and the meeting of experts, held in Geneva from 9 to 13 December 2013 and from 4 to 8 August 2014, respectively, successfully addressed the three standing agenda items and the biennial item on the agenda, and calls upon States parties to the Convention to continue to participate in and contribute to the work of the intersessional process and, in particular, to make the most of the time allotted to consideration of the new biennial agenda item to be discussed in 2014 and 2015 on Article VII in the remaining meetings of experts and meetings of States parties during the current intersessional process;

5. Appreciates the information and data on confidence-building measures provided by States parties to date, recalls the discussions on the biennial item on confidence-building measures in 2012 and 2013 and relevant paragraphs of the reports of the meetings of States parties, and calls upon all States parties to the Convention to participate in the exchange of information and data on confidence-building measures called for in the relevant decisions of the review conferences;

6. Notes with appreciation the decision of the Seventh Review Conference on the establishment of a database to facilitate requests for and offers of exchange of assistance and cooperation, and urges States parties to submit to the Implementation Support Unit, on a voluntary basis, requests for and offers of cooperation and assistance, including in terms of equipment, materials and scientific and technological information regarding the use of biological and toxin agents for peaceful purposes;

7. Encourages States parties to provide, at least biannually, appropriate information on their implementation of article X of the Convention and to collaborate to offer assistance or training, upon request, in support of the legislative and other implementation measures of States parties needed to ensure their compliance with the Convention;

8. Notes with satisfaction the decision of the Seventh Review Conference on the establishment of a sponsorship programme in order to support and increase the participation of developing States parties in the meetings of the intersessional programme, and calls upon States parties in a position to do so to offer voluntary contributions for the programme;

9. Notes with appreciation the work of the Implementation Support Unit and its contribution to supporting the intersessional process;

10. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to render the necessary assistance to the depositary Governments of the Convention, to provide such services as may be required for the implementation of the decisions and recommendations of the review conferences and to render the necessary assistance and to provide such services as may be required for the remaining meetings of experts and the meetings of States parties during the current intersessional process;

11. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its seventieth session the item entitled “Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction”.

62nd plenary meeting 2 December 2014