Experts met in Geneva at a United Nations-hosted gathering on Monday to consider ways of stopping scientific advances being converted into new and more lethal biological weapons.
”We need to develop a coordinated approach to the prevention of the misuse of biological science and technology,” said Macedonian ambassador Georgi Avramchev, the chairperson of the five-day conference.
”I am determined to ensure that all these actors are actively involved in the BWC [Biological Weapons Convention] work programme,” he added.
Talks will focus on how to improve security, on raising awareness of the dangers and on how to apply preventive measures to stop the technology being abused, said the UN Geneva office in a statement.
The results of the week-long meeting will be put to member states in December.
About 160 states are party to the Biological Weapons Convention that prohibits the development, production, acquisition, transfer, retention, stockpiling and use of biological and toxin weapons.
A further 13 states have signed but not yet ratified the convention. — AFP
