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Rolling Text (8th Session) : Procedural Report

The Procedural report and Rolling Text from the 8th Session of the Ad Hoc Group of States Parties is provided below. This material is from the 8th Session of the Ad Hoc Group of States Parties to the Convention.

Please note: the page numbers given are those which appear in the original text, these appear at the top of the page. The detailed footnotes are provided at the end of the main text.

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AD HOC GROUP OF THE STATES PARTIES
TO THE CONVENTION ON THE PROHIBITION
OF THE DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCTION AND
STOCKPILING OF BACTERIOLOGICAL (BIOLOGICAL)
AND TOXIN WEAPONS AND ON THEIR DESTRUCTION

BWC/AD HOC GROUP/38
6 October 1997

Original: ENGLISH

Eighth session
Geneva, 15 September - 3 October 1997

PROCEDURAL REPORT OF THE AD HOC GROUP OF THE
STATES PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION ON THE PROHIBITION
OF THE DEVELOPMENT,PRODUCTION AND STOCKPILING OF
BACTERIOLOGICAL (BIOLOGICAL)
AND TOXIN WEAPONS AND ON THEIR DESTRUCTION

1. The Ad Hoc Group of States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction held its eighth session at the Palais des Nations, Geneva from 15 September - 3 October 1997, in accordance with the decision taken at its seventh session. The Group held 29 meetings during that period under the chairmanship of Ambassador Tibor Tóth of Hungary. Ambassador John Campbell of Australia and Ambassador Javier Illanes of Chile served as Vice-Chairmen of the Group. Mr. Ogunsola Ogunbanwo, the Senior Coordinator of the Disarmament Fellowship and Training Programme, Centre for Disarmament Affairs, Department of Political Affairs, served as Secretary of the Group.

2. At the eighth session of the Ad Hoc Group, the following States Parties to the Convention participated in the work of the Group: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, and Viet Nam. The following signatory States to the Convention also participated in the work of the Group: Egypt, Morocco and Myanmar.

BWC/AD HOC GROUP/38
page 2

3. At the 1st meeting, the Ad Hoc Group decided to continue its consideration of Agenda Item 9 entitled "Strengthening of the Convention in Accordance with the Mandate as it is contained in the Final Report of the Special Conference of the States Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention".

4. At its eighth session, Ambassador Dr. Günther Seibert (Germany) and Mr. Ajit Kumar (India) were requested to assist the Ad Hoc Group as Friends of the Chair on Confidentiality and on National Implementation and Assistance respectively. Accordingly, the Chairman of the Ad Hoc Group was assisted by Friends of the Chair in his consultations and negotiations on particular issues as follows:

Definitions of Terms and Objective Criteria
- Dr. Ali A. Mohammadi (Islamic Republic of Iran)

Measures to Promote Compliance
- Mr. Richard Tauwhare (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Investigations Annex
- Mr. Peter Goosen (South Africa)

Measures Related to Article X
- Mr. Carlos S. Duarte (Brazil)

Legal Issues
- Ambassador John Campbell (Australia).

Confidentiality Issues - Ambassador Dr. Günther Seibert (Germany)

National Implementation and Assistance
- Mr. Ajit Kumar (India)

5. Out of the 29 meetings the Ad Hoc Group held in accordance with the programme of work, 12 meetings were devoted to issues related to "Measures to Promote Compliance", 3 meetings were devoted to "Measures Related to Article X", 3 meetings were devoted to "Definitions of Terms and Objective Criteria", 1 meeting was devoted to "Legal Issues", 4 meetings were devoted to "Investigations Annex", 3 meetings were devoted to "Organization/ Implementational Arrangements" issues, 2 meetings were devoted to "Confidentiality" issues, and 1 meeting was devoted to "National Implementation and Assistance". The Friends of the Chair were assisted by Mr. Vladimir Bogomolov, Political Affairs Officer of the Centre for Disarmament Affairs and Ms. Iris Hunger, Professional Assistant.

BWC/AD HOC GROUP/38
page 3

6. The results of discussions are attached to this draft report. (Annex I) In addition to the statement of the Chairman that the position of delegations is not prejudiced by this paper, individual brackets have been introduced to cover specific preliminary concerns of delegations and it is recognized that further and detailed consideration of all elements will be required at the future sessions.

7. In addition to the documents presented at its previous sessions, the Ad Hoc Group had before it 37 working papers covering all elements of the mandate under discussion and which are listed in Annex III.

8. The Ad Hoc Group addressed, in the course of Chairman's consultations and informal meetings, the issue of the intensification and programme of work of the Ad Hoc Group.

The Ad Hoc Group agreed to have three sessions of three weeks and one session of two weeks in 1998. The three-week sessions will be held as follows: 5 January-23 January, 22 June-10 July, and 28 September-16 October.

As for the dates of the two-week session, the Ad Hoc Group agreed, without prejudice to the position of delegations on that issue, to take a decision by the end of the January 1998 session, whether the two-week session should be held between 23 March-3 April or between 30 November-11 December 1998. Notwithstanding any future decision about the scheduling of the two-week meeting in 1998, the Ad Hoc Group will take a decision on the timing and duration of meetings in 1999 no later than during the 28 September-16 October meeting in 1998.

During periods when both the Ad Hoc Group and the Conference on Disarmament are in session, Ad Hoc Group meetings will not convene on Wednesday mornings and Thursday mornings. Further, during such overlapping periods, the Chairman of the Ad Hoc Group will consult with the President of the CD in an effort to avoid scheduling conflicts. In the event that overlap between meetings of the Ad Hoc Group and the CD is unavoidable, the Chairman will seek the cooperation of the President in order to adjust the specific timing of conflicting meetings. If, notwithstanding these efforts conflicting meetings are still unavoidable, the programme of work of the Ad Hoc Group will be adjusted by rescheduling those meetings for early morning or early afternoon periods.

9. The Ad Hoc Group considered and adopted the Programme of Work for the ninth session to be held from 5-23 January 1998. (Annex II)

BWC/AD HOC GROUP/38
page 4

10. At its 29th meeting on 3 October 1997, the Ad Hoc Group adopted the estimated costs of the ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth sessions of the Group as contained in document BWC/AD HOC GROUP/37.

11. At its 29th meeting on 3 October, the Ad Hoc Group considered and adopted its draft procedural report(BWC/AD HOC GROUP/L.1 and Adds. 1 to 30 and corrigenda Nos. 1 to 10).

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Updated 12 November 1998.