02 Mar 2006, 10:07

2nd Regional Workshop on Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)

No. 14/PR/III/2006

The Government of the Republic of Indonesia and the Government of Australia will co-host the 2nd Regional Workshop on Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in Bali, Indonesia on 6-7 March 2006 as follow up to the initial workshop, which was held in Melbourne on February 2005. Representatives from ASEAN member countries that are parties to the BWC will attend the workshop, as well as representatives from Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, WHO and ICRC.

The objectives of the workshop are to promote regional awareness of and engagement in the BWC; discussing the importance of bio security; discussing national mechanism, including legal and regulatory aspect, to establish and maintain the security and oversight of pathogenic micro-organisms and toxins; as well as a forum for networking in seeking possibilities for developing partnership in enhancing bio security and bio safety; and a forum for sharing of information on regional efforts to reduce the risk of inadvertent support for the hostile use of biological agents.

The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) itself came into force since 1975. The BWC broke new ground in establishing a non-discriminatory prohibition regime, making no distinction between states with existing biological weapon programs and those without.

Taking into account that up till now contracting parties have not been able to come to an agreement to any verification protocols, the workshop is hoped to strengthen and unify the perception of state parties within the region in regard to the measures that could be taken to prevent the use of biological weapons and agents for non-peaceful purposes.

Jakarta, February 27, 2006