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Designed, developed and launched by the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium, which is "a joint venture of four European research institutes":
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During the Eighth Review of the Biological Weapons Convention that took place at UN Geneva in November 2016, the UK Mission to the UN held a most important side event: the screening of the BBC Four film "Inside Porton Down", which is "taking audiences to the UK's most secretive military research base".
Access to the base was granted to the BBC Four by the UK Ministry of Defence as mentioned in the following press release: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/inside-porton-down
An excerpt from the film is provided by the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLC83n2aZD8
Porton Down was created in response to the Nazi gas attacks of the First World War as mentioned in an article by The Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/asked-tear-gassed-porton/), which also notes: "it was only when the Allies were storming triumphantly across Europe in 1945 that they stumbled across Hitler's previously unsuspected, secret weapon."
This was a liquid which was a nerve agent, known as sarin, that had never been used before perhaps because of fears of retaliation, as mentioned. The article cites its use by the forces of Saddam Hussein, and also by Syrian forces in the Ghouta attack. Referring to the latter, "Porton Down's expert scientists were the ones who proved that sarin was used".
The latest review conference of the Biological Weapons Convention ((BWC) was the Ninth Biological Weapons Review Conference which took place in 2022. A reference is available at the following link: What’s Next? The Ninth Biological Weapons Review Conference and Beyond
2024 Meeting of States Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention (16-18 December 2024)
Fifth Session of the Working Group on the Strengthening of the Biological Weapons Convention (2-13 December 2024)
EN and FR document links*
Agenda item https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/g24/207/05/pdf/g2420705.pdf
Excerpt:
12 November 2024
Possible Structure/Functions of a BWC Implementation Organization
Submitted by the United States of America
"The Working Group on the Strengthening of the Biological Weapons Convention is tasked to identify, examine, and develop specific and effective measures, including possible legally-binding measures, and to make recommendations to strengthen and institutionalize the Convention in all its aspects. In discussions during the December 2023 session of the Working Group, many States Parties suggested the Working Group could make a recommendation relating to the establishment of an organization to further institutionalize the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and support its implementation."
Reference: https://www.un.org/en/ga/first/
https://thebulletin.org/2016/05/the-neuroweapons-threat-2/
Written by Dr. Giordano in 2016, ahead of the Biological Weapons Convention Review Conference, which would take place later that year.
Excerpt: "One obvious solution to the neuroweapons threat would be progress on the bioweapons convention itself (...) assess and analyze neuroscience research and development going forward."
They were included in "The Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons" under "Protocol IV – Blinding Laser Weapons" which was added by the 1995 Review Conference.
Reference: https://disarmament.unoda.org/the-convention-on-certain-conventional-weapons/
Excerpt from the publication "An Introduction to the CCW":
"Protocol IV prohibits the use and transfer of laser weapons designed specially to cause permanent blindness to unenhanced vision (Article 1). Additionally, the protocol emphasizes the importance of taking all feasible precautions to prevent incidental permanent blindness, including the training of armed forces (Article 2). The prohibition outlined in this protocol, however, does not cover cases where blinding is an unintended consequence of legitimate military use of other laser systems (Article 3) such as range-finders and target selection devices. Nonetheless, it requires that “all feasible precautions” be taken to avoid causing permanent blindness through the use of such systems."
"One of the significant merits of Protocol IV lies in its proactive approach. It was adopted prior to the actual use of blinding laser weapons in combat, underscoring the value of the CCW in anticipating emerging threats and its significance in upholding humanitarian principles in armed conflicts."
In November 2022, experts reflected "on the origin, relevance, and future of CCW Protocol IV on Blinding Laser Weapons"
"Directed Energy Weapons (DEWs) are weapons which function by concentrated electromagnetic energy, and include lasers, high-powered microwaves, and particle beam weapons. Research and development of DEWs has experienced a recent worldwide surge, stemming in part from advances in technology and a desire to maintain competitiveness on the battlefield."
"One type of DEW, namely blinding laser weapons, has been banned as a means or method of warfare since the 1995 Protocol IV to the CCW ((Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons) on Blinding Laser Weapons."
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