Label plaqueUN Mar 12Against the backdrop of Moscow’s statements about military biological programs in Ukraine, the UN Deputy Secretary General, High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu recommended using Articles 5 and 6 of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC). Nakamitsu pointed out that the BTWC “does not have a multilateral verification mechanism that would be controlled by an independent organization such as the OPCW.» «Thus, assessing whether the obligations under the convention are being fulfilled is the task of the participating countries,» the deputy secretary general said. At the same time, she pointed out that despite the lack of an international verification regime, the BTWC contains a number of measures that participating states can resort to » to resolve situations in which member countries have concerns or suspicions about the activities of their colleagues. «We are talking about Articles 5 and 6. Article 5 of the convention states, in particular, that «the member states … of the convention undertake to consult and cooperate with each other in deciding any questions that may arise with respect to the purpose or in connection with the implementation of the provisions of the Convention.» As Nakamitsu pointed out, BTWC member countries have developed procedures to clarify ambiguous and outstanding issues, including the possible convening of a formal consultative meeting to consider such issues. Article 6 of the BTWC states that “any state party to … — a party acting in violation of the obligations arising from the provisions of the convention, may file a complaint with the UN Security Council. «If the Security Council agrees, an investigation can be initiated based on the complaint received,» Nakamitsu said, adding that Article 6 of the Convention has never been applied. «I would encourage BTWC member countries to consider using available procedures for consultation and cooperation to resolve these issues,» she added. Ukraine, who participated in the American military biological program. The Russian Federation, in connection with the facts of US military biological activities in Ukraine, does not exclude the launch of a consultation mechanism under the Convention on the Prohibition of Biological and Toxin Weapons (BTWC), Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lizqian, commenting on information about US-funded biological laboratories in Ukraine, urged Washington to clarify its biological militarization activities at home and abroad. » />Kondrashov about US biolaboratories in Ukraine: we are on the verge of great sensations
