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 Working Paper by South Africa : For Inclusion in Annex D - Field Investigations  (A) (WP.209)

The full text of this Working Paper is provided below; this is from the 8th Session of the Ad Hoc Group of States Parties.  Please note: the page numbers given are those which appear in the original text; these appear at the top of the relevant page.

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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/WP.209
10 September 1997

Original: ENGLISH

________________________________________________________________________________

Eighth session
Geneva, 15 September - 3 October 1997

Working Paper by South Africa

FOR INCLUSION IN ANNEX D (FIELD INVESTIGATIONS)

(A) INVESTIGATION REQUEST

Issue of investigation mandate

1. The Investigation mandate issued by the [Director General] shall contain at least the following :

(a) The name of the State Party or States Parties to be investigated.

(b) The nature of the [investigation] [request] [allegation] including the effects on humans, animals or plants.

(c) The area where the inspection will commence specified on a map.

(d) The planned types of activity of the investigation team.

(e) Any transit or basing points to be used by the investigation team, as appropriate.

(f) The name of the leader of the investigation team.

(g) The names of the members of the investigation team.

(h) The name of the proposed observer, if any.

(i) The list of equipment to be used during the investigation.

(j) The expected time frame necessary to complete the investigation.

Notification

2. The notification made by the Director General pursuant to Article III paragraph 48 shall include inter alia :

GE.97-64107

BWC/AD HOC GROUP/WP.209
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(a) Name of the State Party on whose territory the Field investigation will take place.

(b) The nature of the [investigation] [request] [allegation].

(c) The point of entry where the investigation team will arrive as well as the means of arrival.

(d) The date and estimated time of arrival of the investigation team at the point of entry .

(e) If appropriate, the standing diplomatic clearance number for non-scheduled aircraft.

(f) Location and characteristics of the area(s) where the incident of non-compliance is alleged to have been taken place.

(g) Effects on humans, animals or plants.

(h) A list of equipment which the Director General requests the investigated State Party to make available to the investigation team for use during the investigation.

(i) A list of laboratory facilities and other support which the Director General requests, if applicable, the investigated State Party to make available to the investigation team for use during the investigation.

(B) PRE-INVESTIGATION PROCEDURES

Appointment of the investigation team

3. Upon receipt of a request for a field investigation by a State Party, the Director General shall request the SSC to identify members for appointment to the investigation team according to the specific nature and circumstances of the potential investigation and alert them for possible dispatch within 24 hours.

4. The Director General shall appoint the leader of the investigation team from the permanent staff of the SSC. Other members of the investigation team shall be appointed by the Director General and may be drawn from the permanent staff as well as the part time staff of the SSC as designated according to the procedures set out in Annex D para .....

5. The Director may extend the size of the investigation team when necessary and in agreement with the investigated State Party.

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Despatch/arrival of investigation team

6. The Director General shall dispatch the investigation team at the earliest opportunity after the receipt of the investigation request, taking into account the screening process of the request.

7. The Director General may, when necessary, dispatch an element of the investigation team earlier than the rest if the time period for the compilation of the whole team is to long. The rest of the team may join the initial element at a later stage.

(C) ACTIVITIES UPON ARRIVAL OF THE INVESTIGATION TEAM.

Inspection of equipment

8. The investigated State Party shall have the right to inspect the equipment of the investigation team to ensure that it is properly sealed, appears on the approved list of equipment and conform to the standards as set out in Appendix ... .

Pre-investigation briefing

9. The investigation team shall be briefed by representatives of the investigated State Party with the aid of maps and other documentation as appropriate. The briefing shall include inter alia relevant natural terrain features, safety aspects, prevailing disease profiles in the area to be investigated, possible routes and means of transport to the area, logistical arrangements for the investigation, details of equipment and/or laboratory facilities provided on request of the Director General and any other relevant information.

10. The investigated State Party may indicate locations within the area under investigation that in its view, are not related to the investigation.

11. The investigated State Party may provide additional information that became available after the request/ was made or that does not appear on the investigation mandate.

Investigation Plan

12. Before the commencement of the investigation the investigation team shall prepare an initial investigation plan to serve, inter alia, as a basis for logistic and safety arrangements. This plan shall contain the activities to be carried out by the team, logistic requirements of the team and provisional timings of the activities and requirements. This plan shall be made available to [the investigated State Party] [prior to the commencement of the investigation].

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Situation report

13. The situation report shall indicate any urgent need for technical, medical, veterinary or agronomic assistance and any other relevant information. The progress reports shall indicate any further need for assistance that might be identified during the course of the investigation.

Time frames for activities

14. The following time frames for specific activities upon arrival of the investigation team shall apply :

(a) Inspection of equipment - not more than 2 hours.

(b) Pre-investigation briefing - not more than 3 hours

(c) Investigation Plan - not more than 2 hours

15. Activities upon arrival of the investigation team shall not exceed 7 hours.

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