ABSTRACT
This chapter summarizes the characteristics of biological and toxin weapons; the nature, capabilities, and limitations of protective measures; and the existing provisions and agreements for confidence-building and international verification of compliance with the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). It presents some proposals to enhance the effectiveness of the BWC. The BWC states that its prohibitions apply to toxins regardless of their means of production. In order to avoid any suggestion of superseding the authority of the 1925 Geneva Protocol, the BWC makes no explicit reference to the actual use of biological or toxin weapons. Multilateral political impetus and machinery for improving the verification of biological and toxin disarmament and otherwise strengthening the Convention will be provided by the Third BWC Review Conference. Verification of compliance with the BWC can be simplified if it is accepted as a basic principle that there should be no secret work at declared installations.
