Address by the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation
to the United Nations Office and the Conference of Disarmament 

H.E. Mr. Gennady Gatilov

at the webinar

"Biological & Toxin Weapons Convention Universality"

- We thank the Implementation Support Unit (ISU) of the Biological & Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) and the UNODA Geneva Branch for convening this virtual workshop in order to promote the BTWC. Russia, being among the founding fathers of the BTWC and one of its depositaries along with the United Kingdom and the United States, attaches high importance to the universalization and the strengthening of the BTWC as well as to the improvement of its implementation.

- Since 1975, the BTWC has remained one of the basic pillars of disarmament and international security prohibiting an entire category of weapons of mass destruction. As a collective endeavour it enshrines commitments by its State Parties to promote co-operation for peaceful purposes and provide assistance and protection from biological weapons.

- Although a major achievement in its own right, establishing a legal norm against development, production and stockpiling of biological agents to use for hostile purposes or in armed conflict could not alone be enough to effectively reduce the danger of biological warfare. Hence, the implementation of the Convention by its States Parties at the national and international levels is of great significance.

- Domestically this includes measures to prohibit and prevent all activities with biological agents other than for prophylactic, protective or other peaceful purposes. Doing so diminishes the threat posed by terrorists spreading infectious diseases as a means of achieving their nefarious agenda. At the same time, States Parties co-operate with each other to strengthen confidence in compliance, provide or support assistance to any Party to the Convention, promote the fullest possible exchange of knowledge and equipment for peaceful purposes and assess science and technology developments relevant to the Convention. Obviously, implementation of national initiatives of the States Parties aimed at further BTWC institutionalization (including those of the Russian Federation) could also contribute to strengthening the Convention.

- To enhance the authority of the BTWC achieving its universality is of great importance. Therefore, we call upon all States that have not yet done so to accede to the Convention at the earliest opportunity. In this regard the annual outreach activities conducted by the ISU to promote the Convention are very useful and should be appreciated.

- It is necessary to make sustainable and consistent efforts towards achieving universal adherence to the norm banning biological weapons. Russia as a depositary State is ready to give guidance on how to join the BTWC and accept in Moscow the deposits of the instruments of ratification. We look forward to welcoming new States Parties from every region of the planet soon.

We wish the participants of the webinar every success.