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New blog post: A role for civil society in oversight of WMD legislation

In this week's blog post, Angela Woodward considers the role for civil society in oversight of WMD legislation.

VERTIC wishes to congratulate Cameroon for its accession to the BWC

Cameroon deposited its instrument of accession in Washington DC on 18 January 2013, becoming a State Party to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and bringing the membership of the BWC to 167.

VERTIC congratulates Guyana on becoming the 169th BWC State Party

Guyana deposited its instrument of ratification in Washington DC on 26 March 2013, becoming a State Party to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and bringing the membership of the BWC to 169. Congratulations Guyana!

VERTIC congratulates Malawi on becoming the 170th BWC State Party

Malawi deposited its instrument of ratification in Washington DC on 2 April 2013, becoming a State Party to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and bringing the membership of the BWC to 170. Congratulations Malawi!

Somalia to become the 189th State Party to the CWC

Somalia has deposited its instrument of accession to the Chemical Weapon's Convention (CWC) with the UN Secretary General and will become a State Party as of 29 June 2013. This will bring the membership of the CWC to 189 States. Congratulations to Somalia!

A role for civil society in oversight of WMD legislation

Significant technical knowledge and expertise for the effective development and enforcement of WMD-related legislation resides in civil society, such as industry stakeholders, academics and NGO experts. For countries with small administrations, a significant proportion of the nation’s expertise in this field may be located outside government. States commonly consult with non-governmental stakeholders when developing legislation in other issue areas, but how common is this in the international security field?

New blog post: Discussions continue on a post-CTR future

In the new VERTIC blog post, Alberto Muti looks at continuing discussions over what might replace the US Cooperative Threat Reduction programme.

Discussions continue on a post-CTR era

The end of 2012 saw the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) celebrating its 20th anniversary amid widespread praise for the results it has attained. The programme was established in 1991, on the initiative of US Senators Sam Nunn and Richard Lugar. Its purpose is to secure and dismantle weapons of mass destruction and related equipment and infrastructures in the former Soviet Union. Over time, it provided crucial assistance in dismantling Soviet nuclear weapons and delivery systems, destroying chemical weapons, and securing stockpiles of fissile material. CTR also oversaw the elimination of former-Soviet nuclear weapons from Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Belarus.

New blog post: Crossing the 'red line' in Syria?

In this week's blog post, Russell Moul looks at fresh allegations of chemical weapons use in Syria.

VERTIC at 5th plenary of African nuclear regulators

Larry MacFaul and Hassan Elbahtimy attended the 5th plenary of the Forum of Nuclear Regulatory Bodies in Africa (FNRBA) in Hammamet, Tunisia, between 21 and 24 May.

Crossing the 'red line' in Syria?

On 29 May it emerged that the British government has given the UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, fresh allegations of three new incidents of chemical weapons use by Syrian government forces in March and April this year. This development once again raises the question: if proven accurate, will this trigger foreign intervention to end the civil conflict that has, over the last two years, consumed an estimated 80,000 lives?

Presentation to OEWG

Last Friday, Andreas Persbo delivered a presentation to the Open Ended Working Group on Multilateral Disarmament, which is presently convening in Geneva, Switzerland.

VERTIC releases brief on Iran's nuclear fuel cycle

Today, VERTIC has released a briefing paper on Iran's nuclear fuel cycle.

New blog post: Egypt shows NPT frustration in PrepCom walkout

In this week's blog post, Alberto Muti looks at Egypt's recent walkout from the NPT PrepCom, and the country's historical role in the NPT process.

Egypt shows NPT frustration in PrepCom walkout

Last week, the the Egyptian delegation publicly announced its formal withdrawal from the 2013 NPT ‘PrepCom’ meeting in Geneva. The walkout was staged in protest over the failure to set a date for an international conference on the establishment of a weapons of mass destruction free zone in Middle East. The conference was originally scheduled for December 2012, as part of a set of actions outlined in the final document adopted by the 2010 NPT Review Conference. However, in late November it was announced that the conference would be postponed to a non-specified future date due to conditions in the region and disagreements among the proposed participants. Notably, Iran’s position was not entirely clear, and Israel had not agreed to participate.

Angola, UK, OPCW and VERTIC co-organize CWC/BWC universality workshops

VERTIC co-organized joint universality workshops in Angola with the British Embassy to Angola and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. The workshops, which had the objective of advancing Angola’s accession to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC), took place on 22 and 23 April in Luanda.

New Blog Post: Moving forward from CISPA

In this week's blog post, Katherine Tajer considers CISPA and the future of cybersecurity law. Read the post here.

Moving forward from CISPA

This week, the Cyber Intelligence and Sharing Protection Act (more commonly known as CISPA) is under consideration by the US Senate. Four versions of the bill have been rejected in Congress since 2012, so it seems unlikely that the bill will pass. Just last week, an online petition opposing the bill attracted over 117,000 signatures. The future of cyber security policy may not be with CISPA, but why not?

New blog post: Prospects and challenges for the 2nd session of the NPT PrepCom

In this week's blog post, Sonia Drobysz looks at the 2nd session of NPT PrepCom, currently underway in Geneva.

VERTIC releases new brief on nuclear disarmament verification

VERTIC has today released its newest briefing paper, 'Nuclear disarmament verification: the case for multilateralism'.

Prospects and challenges for the 2nd session of the NPT PrepCom

On Monday, 22 April, the Preparatory Committee to the 2015 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons opened its second session in Geneva. VERTIC will attend part of the two-week event, the purpose of which is ‘to consider principles, objectives and ways in order to promote the full implementation of the Treaty, as well as its universality, and to make recommendations thereon to the Review Conference,’ as agreed in 1995 by NPT states parties when they decided to indefinitely extend the treaty and strengthen its review process.

Scientists find evidence of chemical weapons use in Syria

Over recent weeks, rising tensions between the West and North Korea have pushed Syria and its 70,000 dead down the global news agenda, but as the conflict there goes on, British scientists are now reported to have found hard evidence of chemical weapons use in the country. It is a development that, if correct, marks the first proof of its kind amid a sea of accusations, counter-accusations, fire and rage. The findings were reported by The Times of London on 12 April. According to the paper, scientists at the Ministry of Defence's chemical and biological research establishment at Porton Down, Wiltshire, found traces of chemicals from a weapon in a soil sample brought out of Syria by Britain's foreign intelligence service, MI6.

Additional Protocol fact sheet now available in French

VERTIC's fact sheet on 'National Implementation Measures for the IAEA Additional Protocol' is now available in French as well as English.

New blog post: Scientists find evidence of chemical weapons use in Syria

In this week's blog post, David Cliff looks at the finding of apparent proof that chemical weapons have been used in Syria—and at the now stalled UN investigation into the use of chemical weapons in Aleppo province.

Update from the Carnegie Nuclear Policy Conference

Earlier this week, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace wrapped up their 15th bi-annual Nuclear Policy Conference. This conference, widely recognised to be one of the highlights on the nuclear arms control and disarmament agenda, spans two days and attracts some 800 participants from 46 countries. The conference was lively. Printing off all Twitter comments alone would consume at least 100 pages of paper.

New blog post: Update from the Carnegie Nuclear Policy Conference

Read the full blog post here.

VERTIC at the 3rd Review Conference of the CWC

The Third Review Conference of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) is being held in the World Forum in The Hague, the Netherlands during 8-19 April. States Parties to the CWC have gathered to discuss the operation of the Convention and to take decisions on a number of matters critical to its future. Items on the agenda are the deadline for the destruction of chemical weapons, verification of the Convention, achieving its universality, the status of its national implementation, and international cooperation and development.

New blog post: Knowns and unknowns in North Korea

In this week's blog post, VERTIC Consultant Russell Moul assesses what's known and unknown about North Korea's nuclear activities and capabilities.

Knowns and unknowns in North Korea

On Tuesday this week, North Korea announced plans to restart its reactor at Yongbyon—a 30-year-old graphite-moderated five-megawatt reactor (5MWe) capable of producing plutonium. Two days later, the North was observed deploying ‘powerful’ ballistic missile to its eastern shore, which it threatened to use against the US and South Korea. These developments have gripped the international community in mass speculation: does North Korea pose a genuine threat or is this simply a case of heavy-handed brinkmanship? With what little is known about nuclear activities in North Korea, the room for speculation is large. Verification of nuclear facilities in North Korea has been absent for a number of years and reliable information on its current and future nuclear capabilities is limited.

David Keir interviewed about North Korea on BBC Radio 4

On Thursday 4 April, VERTIC Programme Manager David Keir was interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s science magazine show, ‘Material World’, to discuss recent events in North Korea.

Trust & Verify No. 140

In this issue, Hassan Elbahtimy and David Keir discuss seismic and infrasound detections of the recent North Korean nuclear test and Russian meteor strike. Plus: Verification Watch, Science & Technology Scan, Verification Quotes and VERTIC News.

UN investigation launched into possible chemical weapons use in Syria

As remembered recently here on the VERTIC website, 25 years ago—on 16 March 1988—Iraqi planes attacked the Kurdish town of Halabja in northern Iraq with poison gas and nerve agents. The assault, which took place alongside the so-called Anfal campaign of genocide then being waged by Saddam Hussein against Iraq’s Kurdish minority, left some 5,000 people dead. Thousands more were injured. Today, 25 years on from Halabja, the use (or alleged use) of chemical weapons is making headlines once again. This time the focus is on Syria, where last week both the Assad government and the rebel opposition accused each other of using chemical weapons in an incident in the north of country, near to the now mostly ruined city of Aleppo.

New blog post: UN investigation launched into possible chemical weapons use in Syria

In this week's blog post, David Cliff looks at recent claims and counter-claims of chemical weapons use in Syria's ongoing civil war.

New blog post: Cyber-attack investigation in South Korea

In this week's blog post, Larry MacFaul looks at the recent cyber-attack on South Korea, and the difficulties of attribution that such attacks pose.

Cyber-attack investigation in South Korea

On Wednesday 20 March, The Guardianreported that several media companies and banks in South Korea were hit by a suspected cyber-attack at around 14:00 local time. The companies’ IT systems were disrupted, and ATMs and mobile banking services were also impacted. Lim Jong-in, Dean of the Graduate School of Information Security, Korea University, told the Associated Press ‘It's got to be a hacking attack’…‘Such simultaneous shutdowns cannot be caused by technical glitches.’

New blog post: Monitoring the Nuclear Weapons Situation on the Korean Peninsula

Shortly before Christmas 2012, I was present at a luncheon hosted by the London embassy of the Republic of Korea. A few hours earlier that day the DPRK had launched, and publicised the launch of, a space rocket apparently capable of delivering a nuclear warhead which, as far as the diners knew at the time, North Korea still did not possess in a developed form. Despite bellicose comments from some around the table, the arguments around the lunch table were evenly divided between ‘this changes nothing’ and ‘we are witnessing the birth of a new nuclear weapon-owning state.’

Read the full blog post by David Keir with Andreas Persbo here.

Monitoring the Nuclear Weapons Situation on the Korean Peninsula

UN observer mission in Syria ended amidst ongoing violence

Aside from the mounting casualty figures and daily reports of violence in the streets of Aleppo and Damascus and elsewhere, media coverage of the ongoing Syrian conflict has directed a lot of attention in recent weeks to the potential use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime against his own people—and to what kind of response that might provoke from the West. A quieter development has been the decision to end the United Nations observer mission in the country, set up in April as part of a six-point peace plan brokered by the ex-UN Secretary-General and soon-to-be-ex-envoy of the UN and Arab League to Syria, Kofi Annan.

Morocco legislation added to the BWC Legislation Database

VERTIC's NIM Team has added legislation from Morocco related to national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention to VERTIC's BWC Legislation Database. 

Halabja 25 years on: could it happen again?

A quarter of a century has nearly gone by since the poison gas attack on the Iraqi Kurdish town of Halabja on 16 March 1988. The attack—by Iraqi forces, then also in their eighth year of fighting against Iran—left thousands dead: killed by a vicious mix of chemical agents; dead in their homes, in their vehicles, in the streets; dead trying to run, dead trying to hide. Nowadays widely considered an act of genocide, the massacre stands as one of the signature acts of repression against Iraq's Kurdish minority by Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein during the long, brutal years of his dictatorship. Today, of course, Saddam himself is dead and gone, captured and ultimately hanged following the US-led invasion of Iraq, his regime replaced by a shaky democracy. But in a time of ongoing conflict in Syria, another country whose repressive government (such as remains of it) is known to have stockpiles of chemical weapons, the possibility of another Halabja is all too real.

New blog post: Halabja 25 years on: could it happen again?

In this week's blog post, David Cliff looks back 25 years to the Halabja poison gas attack—and forward to the possibility that a similar attack could take place in Syria today.

VERTIC wishes to congratulate Nauru on its accession to the BWC

Nauru deposited its instrument of accession in Washington DC on 5 March 2013, becoming a State Party to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and bringing the membership of the BWC to 168.

New presentation: Verification and Irreversibility when going to zero

Andreas Persbo travelled to Berlin, Germany, on 21-22 February 2013 to deliver remarks to the the Berlin Framework Forum: Creating the Conditions and Building the Framework for a Nuclear Weapons-Free World.

New blog post: The Mandiant Report: explanation and implications

In this week's blog post, Katherine Tajer looks at allegations of Chinese cyber-attacks in the wake of the release of the so-called Mandiant Report.

The Mandiant Report: explanation and implications

The Mandiant Report, released last week, has given celebrity status to a previously unknown computer security firm. Detailing the tactics and organisation of the supposed Chinese military cyber defence wing—entitled Unit 61398 or referred to by Mandiant as APT 1 (standing for Advanced Persistent Threat 1)—Mandiant’s in-depth report grew to prominence due to its reporting on the recent major attacks on the New York Times, Washington Post, Bloomberg News, and the Wall Street Journal.

Son et Lumiere over Russia

There can be few people who have not by now seen the spectacular video images of the meteor blazing across the Russian sky in daylight on 15 February this year. The light output was startling in its brilliance, casting intense shadows of buildings and vehicles. Some of the footage also captured the sound of the event. But how many realise that this provided a further proof of the capability of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty international monitoring system?

In fact, a lot of the sound produced by this object as it entered the earth’s atmosphere could not be heard by human ears, as it was of a lower frequency than we can detect. This, so-called infrasound, with a frequency of less than 20 Hertz, is one of the signatures of a nuclear explosion too and is a phenomenon that the CTBT International Monitoring System network has been set up to detect. Infrasound detection is one of the four key monitoring systems of the CTBT; the others being seismic signal detection, hydro-acoustic sensing and radionuclide detection in the atmosphere.

New blog post: Son et Lumiere over Russia

In this week's blog post David Keir reflects on the infrasound detection capability of the CTBT monitoring system and the meteor which entered the Earth's atmosphere over Russia on 15 February 2013.

VERTIC participates in BWC seminar in Bogota

VERTIC's Senior Legal Officer, Scott Spence, participated in a Biological Weapons Convention seminar in Bogota during 14-15 February.

New Employment Opportunities at VERTIC

VERTIC seeks a multi-skilled Office Manager or Administrator who is enthusiastic about the challenge of working in a dynamic and expanding non-governmental organisation. In the last few years, the organisation has experienced growth in activities and staffing mostly associated with start-up ventures.

Updated information on DPRK's test

The Preparatory Commission of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organisation released today an updated estimate on DPRK's test.

North Korean Test

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea conducted a nuclear test at noon local time today, according to an official announcement by its state-run news agency.

New blog post: DPRK nuclear test

On 12 February 2013, the DPRK announced that it had conducted its third nuclear test. Hours before the announcement, however, data started to flow from various monitoring stations indicating seismic activity in North Korea. This gave considerable credibility to the assertion that the DPRK conducted an explosive test possibly of a nuclear nature.

Read the full post here.

DPRK nuclear test

Bond v. United States: towards the US Supreme Court again

The case of Ms Bond, a woman convicted in the United States under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) Implementation Act for putting highly toxic chemicals on the car door handles, doorknob and mailbox of a former friend, will be considered by the US Supreme Court again. Due to its focus on the balance of power in a federalist system, this case is particular to the US domestic legal order. However, as the Court will address the application of the CWC Implementation Act to Ms Bond’s criminal acts, it is also of interest to other CWC States Parties that have adopted or are in the process of adopting implementing legislation for the CWC.

New blog post: Bond v United States towards the US Supreme Court again

In this week's blog post, Yasemin Balci looks at the chemical weapons case of Bond v United States, which will be heard by the US Supreme Court on appeal.

Lebanon legislation added to the BWC Legislation Database

VERTIC's NIM Team has added legislation from Lebanon related to national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention to VERTIC's BWC Legislation Database. 

Wider conflict feared as Syria’s war spills into UN-monitored ceasefire zone

Last month, the routine six-monthly extension of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Golan Heights was issued alongside expressions of serious concern at escalating violence in its area of operations and repeated, increasingly brazen violations of the 1974 Israeli-Syrian ceasefire pact that led to its formation. The violations in question have taken several forms. Syrian military forces have been observed conducting operations inside the UNDOF-monitored ‘area of separation’, where no military forces from either side are allowed, and both Israeli and Syrian forces have fired across the north-south ceasefire line known as the ‘Alpha’ line, which divides the area of separation from Israeli-occupied Golan. An attack on a UN convoy on 29 November, which left a number of UNDOF personnel wounded, has raised the level of concern still further.

New blog post: Syria's war spills into UN-monitored ceasefire zone

In this week's blog post, David Cliff looks at fears that the Syrian civil war could spark a wider conflict as it spills into the UN-monitored ceasefire zone in the Golan Heights.

VERTIC releases factsheet on IAEA Additional Protocol

Today, VERTIC has released a factsheet on national implementation measures for the IAEA Additional Protocol. The document outlines the origins and evolution of the Additional Protocol, what its key features are, and how states can bring the instrument into force.

New blog post: Cyber space's international friends

Cyber security is now a key priority in many countries’ national policy agendas and its importance to states will continue to grow into the foreseeable future. The fundamentally transboundary nature of cyber space means that a considerable portion of government, and other stakeholders’, efforts needs to be put into identifying and agreeing to rules of the road that enable the opportunities cyber space has to offer to be fully realised and its potential for disruption to be minimised.

Cyber space’s international friends

Notes from the 1540 Civil Society Forum

Scott Spence, VERTIC’s Senior Legal Officer, attended the ‘UNSCR 1540 Civil Society Forum - Opportunities for Engagement’, which took place in the Vienna International Centre (the VIC) during 8-10 January. He reflects on this important event in this week’s blog post.

New blog post: Notes from the 1540 Civil Society Forum

New blog post: Drawing the red line – the case of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile

In this week's blog post, Russell Moul revisits the question of Syria's chemical weapons and muses on verification options.

Read the full post here.

Drawing the red line – The case of Syria’s Chemical Weapons stockpile

Recent weeks have seen mounting fears that the Syrian government may resort to the use of chemical weapons against rebel forces seeking its overthrow – a move that could mark a tipping point towards international military engagement.

New employment opportunities at VERTIC

VERTIC wishes to make up to two appointments to its National Implementation Measures (NIM) Programme at either the Associate Legal Officer, Legal Officer or Senior Legal Officer grade, depending on the post-holder’s qualifications, skills and experience.

VERTIC's Senior Legal Officer presents at UNSCR 1540 Civil Society Forum

Scott Spence, VERTIC's Senior Legal Officer, presented today at the UNSCR 1540 Civil Society Forum - Opportunities for Engagement.

Nigeria legislation added to the BWC Legislation Database

VERTIC's NIM Team has added legislation from Nigeria related to national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention to VERTIC's BWC Legislation Database. 

Trust & Verify No. 139

In this issue, Jesus S. Domingo discusses the impact of the BWC 'Superweek' on cooperation and coordination in the East Asia & Pacific region and beyond. Plus, Verification Watch, Science & Technology Scan, Verification Quotes, Publications and Events, and VERTIC News.

New blog post: Notes from the Wilton Park non-proliferation conference

In this week's blog post, VERTIC Researcher David Cliff looks back to discussions at the recent Wilton Park non-proliferation conference—which he, along with VERTIC Executive Director Andreas Persbo, attended last week.

Notes from the Wilton Park non-proliferation conference

Last week, VERTIC’s Andreas Persbo and David Cliff attended the annual December conference on nuclear non-proliferation at Wilton Park in West Sussex. The meeting, which brought together more than 70 diplomats, commentators, academics and think-tankers to discuss a broad range of current issues in the world of nuclear arms control—from the state of progress under the ‘action plan’ agreed at the 2010 NPT review conference, to nuclear security, ‘latent’ proliferation, the prospect of a WMD-free zone in the Middle East, US nuclear policy in the run-up to the 2015 conference, and many other topics besides.

Larry MacFaul presents on verification in Vienna

On 13 December 2012 VERTIC Senior Researcher Larry MacFaul presented to junior and mid-career diplomats in Vienna on the subject of ‘Verification: how we can use it and what it can do’.

New blog post: Existential risks and the technological singularity

In this week's blog post, David Keir looks at the possibility of existential threats to humanity arising from runaway progress in artificial intelligence.

Existential risks and the technological singularity

At VERTIC we are concerned with threats to society such as nuclear, biological, chemical and cyber security. An article in the Sunday Times (25th Nov.) described a new project set up at Cambridge University, for the study of the proposition that super-intelligent computers could become a threat to humanity. It says that: ‘The center for the study of existential risk — where “existential” implies a threat to humanity’s existence — is being co-launched by Lord Rees, the astronomer royal who is one of the world’s leading cosmologists. Its purpose is to study the “four greatest threats” to the human species: artificial intelligence, climate change, nuclear war and rogue biotechnology. Rees’s 2003 book, ‘Our Final Century’, had warned that the destructiveness of humanity meant our species could wipe itself out by 2100. He is launching the centre with Huw Price, the Bertrand Russell professor of philosophy at Cambridge, and Jaan Tallinn, co-founder of Skype.

Canada and Denmark legislation, Uganda policy paper added to the BWC Legislation Database

VERTIC's NIM Team has added legislation from Canada and Denmark and a policy paper from Uganda, related to national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention, to VERTIC's BWC Legislation Database. 

VERTIC gives statement to 2012 Meeting of the States Parties to the BWC

Yasemin Balci, Legal Officer, gave VERTIC's statement to the 2012 Meeting of the States Parties to the BWC today.

New blog post: Regional trends in the adoption of implementing legislation for the CWC

In this week's blog post, Lasha Tvaliashvili looks at regional trends in the adoption of implementing legislation for the CWC.

Regional trends in the adoption of implementing legislation for the CWC

During the Conference of States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) over a week ago, States Parties took note of the latest figures compiled by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on national implementation of the Convention. Under Article VII of the CWC, States Parties are required to adopt national implementation measures to fulfill their obligations under the Convention in accordance with their constitutional processes (paragraph 1). States Parties are also required to inform the OPCW of the legislative measures they have taken (paragraph 5). In this way, the OPCW is able to gather data on the number of States Parties that have adopted national implementation measures and assess the comprehensiveness of the measures they have taken.

VERTIC wishes to congratulate the Marshall Islands for its accession to the BWC

The Marshall Islands deposited its instrument of accession in Washington DC on 15 November 2012, becoming a State Party to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and bringing the membership of the BWC to 166.

New blog post: Civil society contributions to the operation of the Chemical Weapons Convention

In this week's blog post, Scott Spence provides his thoughts on how civil society actors, such as VERTIC, can contribute to the operation of the Chemical Weapons Convention.

Civil society contributions to the operation of the Chemical Weapons Convention

On 29 November, a number of civil society actors participated in an invitation-only meeting with States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and with staff from the Technical Secretariat of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), including the Director-General. We discussed how civil society actors such as VERTIC can contribute to the Organization’s efforts to strengthen the Convention and its operation. Scott Spence, Senior Legal Officer, took the opportunity to share some thoughts on how, in particular, we can work with the OPCW to promote universality and national implementation of the CWC.

New blog post: Disarmament education and the CTBTO

In this week's blog post, Andreas Persbo discusses disarmament education, in particular the CTBTO's 'Capacity Development Initiative', which VERTIC has been proudly involved with over the last few years.

Disarmament education and the CTBTO

In September, Angela Woodward wrote about the UN Secretary-General’s report on Disarmament Education (see UN document A/57/124). She also highlighted the subsequent updated reports of the Secretary-General, and in particular the July 2012 report (see UN document A/67/138). This report makes for an interesting read.

VERTIC Executive Director discusses nuclear weapon free world

On 19-20 November 2012, Andreas Persbo travelled to Vienna, Austria, to participate in a two-day discussion of a nuclear weapon free world.

VERTIC Executive Director moderates CDI panel

Today, Andreas Persbo moderated a panel on the Nexus between Science and Verification at the CTBTO Advance Science Course ‘Around the Globe and Around the Clock: The Science and Technology of the CTBT.’

New blog post: Centralizing radioactive waste storage

What to do with radioactive waste? Many countries around the world, developed countries in particular, rely heavily on nuclear power, and all face the dilemma of what to do with all the radioactive waste generated.

Centralizing radioactive waste storage

What to do with radiactive waste? Many countries around the world, developed countries in particular, rely heavily on nuclear power, and all face the dilemma of what to do with all the radioactive waste generated. While there is no final solution to permanently eliminate this highly dangerous type of waste, some short- and long-term solutions have been developed.

BWC implementing legislation – let’s look at the statistics

The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) Meeting of States Parties will convene in Geneva in one month’s time. Amongst other items, the meeting will discuss “Strengthening national implementation”, which is a standing item for each meeting in the 2012-15 intersessional period. What is the current status of BWC States Parties’ national implementation, at least in terms of their national regulatory frameworks? Let me take you through some interesting statistics drawn from VERTIC’s BW legislation surveys.

New blog post: BWC implementing legislation – let’s look at the statistics

The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) Meeting of States Parties will convene in Geneva in one month’s time. Amongst other items the meeting will discuss “Strengthening national implementation”, which is a standing item for each meeting in the 2012-15 intersessional period. What is the current status of BWC States Parties’ national implementation, at least in terms of their national regulatory frameworks? Angela Woodward takes you through some interesting statistics drawn from VERTIC’s BW legislation surveys.

VERTIC partners in hosting cyber-security conference

Between 8-9 November 2012, UNIDIR is partnering with VERTIC and Chatham House to host a timely conference focusing on the role of confidence-building measures in cyber-security.

VERTIC's BWC national implementation work noted in US Senate hearing testimony

The US Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs held a hearing on 26 April to discuss "Biological Security: The Risk of Dual-Use Research". VERTIC's NIM Programme work was raised by Dr Daniel Gerstein, Deputy Under Secretary for Science and Technology, US Department of Homeland Security.

Nunn-Lugar: A Retrospective?

With the recent anniversary of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, an election looming, and the historic Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction programme (CTR) coming to its finish, it seems only fitting to turn the conversation over to US-Russian affairs. As Nunn-Lugar expires in June 2013 and has not been renewed, we should consider what we are losing in the retirement of this landmark initiative.

VERTIC Executive Director on IAEA legal standards

Today, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists has published the first round of an exchange of views on the legality of IAEA inspections in Iran. The exchange is between Dan Joyner, Professor of Law at the University of Alabama, Christopher Ford, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, and Andreas Persbo, VERTIC’s Executive Director.

Follow the debate on ‘Iran and the bomb: The legal standards of the IAEA’ on the Bulletin website.

Cyber-security, foreign goods and the role of verification

There are plenty of threats in cyberspace currently worrying governments around the world: espionage, damage to critical infrastructure, the theft of intellectual property, and others besides. The range of potential adversaries is equally as diverse: states or state-sponsored actors, terrorists, ‘hacktivists’, foreign companies and criminal organisations. The types of attack are numerous and they can be very fast, easily concealable and able to bypass conventional defences at national boundaries.

New blog post: Cyber-security, foreign goods and the role of verification

Rocío Escauriaza Leal co-authors a publication on the BWC

Rocío Escauriaza Leal, VERTIC’s Legal Officer co-authors a publication on the BWC with Rafael Perez Mellado, Scientific Adviser on non-proliferation of biological weapons at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain.

VERTIC participates in meetings convened by Madagascar at the occasion of the UNSCR 1540 Committee’s in-country visit

VERTIC participated in meetings convened by the Government of Madagascar on the implementation of UNSCR 1540, at the occasion of the UNSCR 1540 Committee’s in-country visit, which took place in Antananarivo and Toamasina, from 22 to 24 May.

Appointments at VERTIC

Two new appointments were made today at VERTIC.

Chad, Eritrea, Mauritania and Namibia legislation added to BWC Legislation Database

VERTIC's NIM Team has added legislation from Chad, Eritrea, Mauritania and Namibia related to national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention, to VERTIC's BWC Legislation Database.  

Djibouti legislation added to BWC Legislation Database

VERTIC's NIM Team has added legislation from Djibouti related to national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention, to VERTIC's BWC Legislation Database.  

Belarus, Liberia, Oman and Serbia legislation added to the BWC Legislation Database

VERTIC's NIM Team has added legislation from Belarus, Liberia, Oman and Serbia related to national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention to VERTIC's BWC Legislation Database.  

Kuwait legislation added to the BWC Legislation Database

VERTIC's NIM Team has added legislation from Kuwait related to national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention to VERTIC's BWC Legislation Database.  

Nepal legislation added to the BWC Legislation Database

VERTIC's NIM Team has added legislation from Nepal related to national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention to VERTIC's BWC Legislation Database.  

Samoa legislation added to the BWC Legislation Database

VERTIC's NIM Team has added legislation from Samoa related to national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention to VERTIC's BWC Legislation Database.  

Niue legislation added to the BWC Legislation Database

VERTIC's NIM Team has added legislation from Niue related to national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention to VERTIC's BWC Legislation Database.  

Timor-Leste legislation added to the BWC Legislation Database

VERTIC's NIM Team has added legislation from Timor-Leste related to national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention to VERTIC's BWC Legislation Database.  

New blog post: Nunn-Lugar: A retrospective?

Read the full post here.

Introducing the candidates

The plenary body of the Preparatory Commission of the CTBTO will meet next week, on 22-24 October 2012, to consider, amongst other things, the bids to take over after Ambassador Tibor Toth. Who might be elected?

New blog post: introducing the candidates

Read the full post here.

Man convicted of illegal possession of pufferfish toxin sentenced

Two weeks ago, Mr Edward Bachner from Illinois, United States, was sentenced to over seven and a half years in prison for possession of a toxin with intent to use it as a weapon. In Trust & Verify No. 136, we reported that a federal court had found that Bachner had acted in contravention of the 1989 Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act by ordering and receiving Tetrodotoxin (TTX), a highly deadly toxin, to poison an individual and claim millions of dollars in life-insurance pay-outs.

Syria revisited - international law and the use of biological weapons

On 8 August, I blogged on the topic of Syria’s declared chemical weapons stockpiles and the questions they raise under international law. I’d now like to turn to their biological weapons stockpiles and the related but different questions under international law.

New blog post: Man convicted of illegal possession of pufferfish toxin sentenced

In this week's blog post, Yasemin Balci discusses the biological weapons case of US v Bachner and highlights the recent review of the US control list for certain biological agents and toxins.

New blog post: Syria revisited - international law and the use of biological weapons

On 8 August, Scott Spence, VERTIC's Senior Legal Officer, blogged on the topic of Syria’s declared chemical weapons stockpiles and the questions they raise under international law. He now turns to their biological weapons stockpiles and the related but different questions under international law.

VERTIC's Senior Legal Officer attends INLA Congress

VERTIC's Senior Legal Officer, Scott Spence, attended the International Nuclear Law Association Inter Jura Congress in Manchester, UK during 8-10 October.

VERTIC researcher presents on 'Trust and nuclear warhead dismantlement verification'

On Thursday 4 September, VERTIC Researcher David Cliff presented on ‘Trust and nuclear warhead dismantlement verification’ at a conference on trust and cooperation in nuclear issues organised by the universities of Birmingham and Leicester—and held at the University of Birmingham.

Jozef 'Joe' Goldblat (1923-2012)

It is with much sadness that VERTIC has today learned of the passing of the long-time arms control practitioner and former VERTIC consultant Dr Jozef Goldblat.

Trust & Verify No.138

In this issue, the NIM team discusses legislative measures related to proliferation concerns surrounding H5N1 research. Plus, as usual: Verification Watch, Science & Technology Scan, Verification Quotes, Programme News, and reflections by the director. Plus: Verification Watch, Science & Technology Scan, Verification Quotes, Programme News, and reflections by the director.

The return of the safeguards resolution

The safeguards resolution of the IAEA General Conference has, for many years, been one of the highlights and great dreads of the conference. Member states anxieties and excessive wrangling over its text tends to ensure that the final day of the conference ends around midnight. While this adds to the excitement of the conference, it is also a very costly undertaking. Sitting in the conference hall in the middle of the night surely raises questions as to whether it is all worth it.

New blog post: The return of the safeguards resolution

Read the full post here.

Accusations from Iran at the IAEA General Conference

The 56th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is taking place this week in Vienna, and VERTIC – which holds observer status at the Agency – has a number of staff present to follow proceedings as the IAEA’s 155-strong membership comes together to discuss the organisation’s activities and budget for the coming year.

New blog post: Accusations from Iran at the IAEA General Conference

VERTIC publishes 'Guide to National Implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1540'

VERTIC has published a 'Guide to National Implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1540'.

Nuclear reactor safety in the post-Fukushima world

Since the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster in 2011, there have been calls for increasing safety levels in nuclear plants worldwide. The incident in Japan was the fourth significant accident in the 55-year history of nuclear reactor operation. The first occurred in 1957 at the Windscale reactor in the UK. Two decades later, in 1979, a reactor at Three Mile Island in the USA was severely damaged, though radioactive material releases were slight. The third incident is well-known: the 1986 disaster at Chernobyl, Ukraine, where the destruction of a reactor by steam explosion, fire and core disruption had significant health and environmental consequences, mainly due to fission product release and dispersion, as well as a human death toll at the site itself.

New blog post: Nuclear reactor safety in the post-Fukushima world

Disarmament and non-proliferation education

Ten years ago the United Nations Secretary-General released the “United Nations Study on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Education” (A/57/124, 30 August 2002). The study was prepared over two years by an eminent group of experts drawn from Egypt, Hungary, India, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Peru, Poland and Sweden and informed by wide-ranging consultations with civil society. Its findings highlighted the importance of empowering individuals, through such education, to contribute to achieving disarmament and non-proliferation measures and, ultimately, general and complete disarmament under effective international control.

New blog post: Disarmament and non-proliferation education

VERTIC publishes two new fact sheets on national implementation measures related to nuclear security

VERTIC's NIM Programme has published two new fact sheets on national implementation measures for the international instruments to control and secure nuclear and other radioactive material. These are Fact sheet 11 on the 2005 International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT) and Fact sheet 12 on the IAEA Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources.

VERTIC's Senior Legal Officer participates in workshop on nuclear security

VERTIC's Senior Legal Officer, Scott Spence, participated in a workshop on 'Implementation of Nuclear Security Legal Instruments' during 28-29 August in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

New blog post: UN observer mission in Syria ended amidst ongoing violence

Aside from the mounting casualty figures and daily reports of violence in the streets of Aleppo and Damascus and elsewhere, media coverage of the ongoing Syrian conflict has directed a lot of attention in recent weeks to the potential use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime against his own people – and to what kind of response that might provoke from the West. A quieter development has been the decision to end the United Nations observer mission in the country, set up in April as part of a six-point peace plan brokered by the ex-UN Secretary-General and soon-to-be-ex-envoy of the UN and Arab League to Syria, Kofi Annan.

New blog post: protecting inspectors in the field

In this week's blog post, Andreas Persbo examines the responsibility to protect inspectors deployed in nuclear facilities from physical harm.

Read the full post here.

Protecting inspectors in the field

Mark Hibbs’ recent post about the risks facing IAEA inspectors in Iran, should Israel decide to attack the country, gives rise to a number of pertinent questions relating to matters of both law and policy. They are not new by any means, but they are nevertheless important.

National measures effective in curtailing Ebola outbreak in Uganda

On 28 July 2012 the Ugandan government and the World Health Organization (WHO) stated that the Ebola virus was the culprit behind a spate of deaths in Kibaale district, Western Uganda.

New blog post: Exercising the CTBTO Executive Council

A new blog post by Andreas Persbo describes the first-ever full simulation of the CTBTO Executive Council. He writes about his part in the exercise, and outlines some of the lessons learned.

New blog post: Syria - international law and the use of chemical weapons

This week, Scott Spence and Meghan Brown highlight the international law implications of Syria's recent confirmation of its chemical weapons stockpiles.

New blog post: National measures effective in curtailing Ebola outbreak in Uganda

In this week's blog post, Edward Perello examines the recent outbreak of Ebola in Uganda and the national measures taken to stop its spread.

New blog post: A new inter-sessional period begins for the BWC

The Meeting of Experts (MX) for the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC) took place in Geneva from 16 to 20 July.

Syria: international law and the use of chemical weapons

The ongoing unrest in Syria has continued to dominate the headlines as concerns have mounted about the country’s chemical weapons stockpiles. At the same time, these stockpiles raise interesting questions of international law.

Exercising the CTBTO Executive Council

On Friday, 20 July 2012, I was appointed Director-General of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Organization (CTBTO). At least I was, in the simulated universe of the latest CTBTO Intensive Policy Course: Multilateral Verification, Collective Security: The Contribution of the CTBT. The course, which is part of the organization’s Capacity Development Initiative (or CDI for short), had over 450 participants. A fair number of those took part in the first-ever simulation of the prospective Executive Council in action.

New blog post: Iran, the IAEA and the Parchin problem

New blog post: Kiwifruit vine disease, biosecurity and the BWC

New blog post: Wilton Park conference on verification

Last week, VERTIC and Wilton Park held their second conference on verification, this time focusing on arms control and disarmament verification.

New blog post: A surprising gift

New blog post: The state of ATT negotiations

The Arms Trade Treaty is being negotiated this month under the auspices of the United Nations in New York.

VERTIC Legal Officer Rocío Escauriaza Leal writes for the 1540 Compass

The 1540 Compass published the article ‘VERTIC: Legal and Regulatory Assisance’ written by Rocío Escauriaza Leal, VERTIC Legal Officer.

Andreas Persbo presents on CTBT verification in Vienna

On Wednesday 18 July 2012, VERTIC's Executive Director, Andreas Persbo, delivered a presentation on the verification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty in Vienna.

A new inter-sessional period begins for the BWC

The Meeting of Experts (MX) for the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC) took place in Geneva from 16 to 20 July. Ambassador Boujemâa Delmi of Algeria chaired the meeting, which focused on the topics Agreed upon at the Seventh BWC Review Conference in December 2011: recent advances in the life sciences and mechanisms to address the emerging threats they pose, effective ways to further the goals of the BWC through greater cooperation and assistance, enhanced national implementation, and renewed confidence-building measures (CBMs). Experts from states parties, international organisations, observer entities and non-governmental organizations gathered in Geneva to participate in the MX.

Scott Spence presents avian influenza virus case study to BWC Meeting of Experts

Scott Spence, VERTIC's Senior Legal Officer, went through an avian influenza virus (H5N1) case study today as a Guest of the Meeting to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) Meeting of Experts. The Meeting is being held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva (16-20 July).

The state of Arms Trade Treaty negotiations

The Arms Trade Treaty is being negotiated this month under the auspices of the United Nations in New York. The first of their kind, they mark a culmination of multilateral efforts to develop a legally binding instrument of common international standards for the transfer of conventional weapons. What has happened so far, and with only 6 days of negotiation left, can any real progress be made?

Kiwifruit vine disease, biosecurity and the BWC

The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) Meeting of Experts will convene next week in Geneva. National implementation is on the agenda, as a standing item for this inter-sessional process, and VERTIC will give a presentation on this topic as an invited Guest of the meeting. As a recent outbreak of kiwifruit vine disease in New Zealand has shown, national implementation of biosecurity measures is an ongoing task, which is worthy of such regular consideration by the BWC regime.

Nuclear warhead dismantlement exercise held in Norway

Last week, I participated in a nuclear warhead dismantlement exercise in Oslo, Norway, involving students from the University of Hamburg - half of whom played the role of a host country, while the other half took on the role of inspectors. This simulation was the third such student exercise to have taken place under the auspices of the University of Oslo to build capacity and awareness of these issues among the 'next generation' of nuclear arms control professionals.

New blog post: Nuclear warhead dismantlement exercise held in Norway

This blog post discusses a recent nuclear warhead dismantlement exercise held in Norway, involving students from the University of Hamburg, and also some of the key requirements for a successful verification mission of this kind.

VERTIC releases brief on IUU fishing

Today, VERTIC has released a brief discussing the issue of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Trust & Verify No. 137

In this issue Tamara Patton looks at using 3D modeling for Verification Design and Sonia Drobysz examines safeguards following the NPT PrepCom.

VERTIC co-organises with UNLirec a BWC/UNSCR 1540 seminar in Ecuador

VERTIC co-organised with UNLirec, the UN Disarmament Branch for Latin America and the Caribbean, a seminar on the implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and UNSCR 1540 related obligations.

A surprising gift

One of the main characters in Tony Scott’s 1998 film ‘Enemy of the State’, Edward Lyle, at one point exclaims, ‘you know the Hubble Telescope that looks up to the stars? They've got over a hundred spy satellites looking down at us’. He then adds, as an afterthought, ‘that's classified’. Well, not any more. Sometime last year, administrators at the US National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) got a surprising call from colleagues at the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). They told them to head over to a facility owned by the aerospace company ITT Excelis to pick up some hardware that the NRO, which operates the US fleet of spy-satellites, no longer needed.

United States v Bond: The Finale

Last month, the case United States v Bond reached its final stage. Following a decision last year by the US Supreme Court which allowed Ms Carol Anne Bond to challenge her conviction under the ‘Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) Implementation Act of 1998’, the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit has now reviewed her case and upheld her conviction.

New blog post: United States v Bond: The Finale

Wilton Park conference on verification

Last week, VERTIC and Wilton Park held their second conference on verification, this time focusing on arms control and disarmament verification. The first conference was held in June 2011, to mark VERTIC's 25th Anniversary. Since Wilton Park conferences are held in strict confidence, no names or affiliations can be mentioned in this write-up. Nevertheless, this post will attempt to summarize the main themes coming out of the meeting.

In memoriam: Ronald Nelson

VERTIC mourns the passing of trustee Ronald Nelson, and extends its deep condolences to his family and friends. Dr. Nelson passed away in South Dakota on 9 May, after having suffered a stroke.

Iran, the IAEA and the Parchin problem

Tomorrow, IAEA and Iranian officials are set to meet – the latest in a string of meetings between the two sides over recent months – to further discuss access rights to nuclear sites in Iran where suspect activities are alleged to have taken place. Top of the IAEA’s priority list is the Parchin nuclear site south-east of Tehran. In November 2011, the IAEA noted that experiments and testing with potential relevance to nuclear weapons development (particularly involving high explosives) may have been conducted at Parchin in the years after 2000.

New blog post: Safety and security over biological waste

Inadequate biological waste management constitutes a risk that could lead to proliferation of infectious material and accidental outbreaks. International instruments exist to counter these dangers.

Safety and security over biological waste

Inadequate biological waste management constitutes a risk that could lead to proliferation of infectious material and accidental outbreaks. International instruments exist to counter these dangers: the Basel Convention aims to limit and regulate hazardous wastes to minimize possible impacts on human and animal health as well as the environment. The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) necessitates the adoption of biosecurity measures – including biological waste management – to prevent proliferation of dual use material. The adoption by countries of effective measures to securely manage biological waste would help implementation of both international agreements and make progress towards the aims they promote.

VERTIC Senior Researcher presents to Cyber Security Conference

VERTIC Senior Researcher, Larry MacFaul, presented to the Wilton Park conference 'Confidence building measures in cyber space: lessons from multilateral security regimes, held between Monday 28 - Wednesday 30 May 2012.

VERTIC Researcher David Cliff presents to UK PONI

On 10 May 2012, VERTIC Researcher David Cliff presented to the UK Project on Nuclear Issues annual conference in central London.

VERTIC Executive Director on the Middle East

Yesterday, Andreas Persbo travelled to Edinburgh, Scotland, to participate in a United Nations Association Scotland and Edinburgh conference on the Middle East.

Coalition of the unwilling?

As previously highlighted on the VERTIC blog, there has been a storm of controversy surrounding the inclusion of aviation greenhouse gas emissions from flights into and out of the EU in the European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)—the EU-wide carbon market. A so-called ‘Coalition of the Unwilling’ was formed by 23 non-EU countries including the US, Russia, India and China.

New blog post: Coalition of the unwilling?

The 1925 Geneva Protocol goes digital

Historical documents pertaining to the 1925 Geneva Protocol are now available online through the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ treaty database. Scanned copies of original instruments of accession, ratification and succession, along with documents relating to reservations, are now a mouse-click away. It is important to have access to these original documents, rather than the potted, translated summaries of their contents that were previously available, to determine the precise legal status of the Protocol’s prohibitions on the use of biological and chemical weapons with respect to each State.

New blog post: The 1925 Geneva Protocol goes digital

In today's blog post, Angela Woodward, Programme Director of VERTIC's National Implementation Measures Programme, looks at digital documents relating to the 1925 Geneva Protocol that were recently made available online.

NPT event on the Additional Protocol

On 8 May 2012, VERTIC’s Executive Director, Andreas Persbo, launched our new project on the Additional Protocol before a packed conference room in the Vienna International Centre. The meeting, chaired by Ambassador Susan Burk, US Special Representative of the President for nuclear non-proliferation, also featured presentations by other governments or entities offering assistance on the Additional Protocol.

New blog post: Norway to host disarmament verification simulation

In today's (guest) blog post, Ibrahim Said Ibrahim of the University of Oslo looks ahead to the second nuclear warhead dismantlement verification exercise due to be held in Norway in June 2012 - and also at the benefits of educating the 'next generation' about nuclear disarmament verification issues.

Read the full post here.

Guest post: Norway to host second disarmament verification simulation

In June 2012, Oslo will play host to selected experts and diplomats from across a range of scientific, technical, legal and policy areas related to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation – not to mention top graduate students in the field of international security. This being because June will see the Universities of Oslo, Hamburg and King’s College London carry out the ‘Second International Full-Scale Nuclear Disarmament Verification Simulation’.

VERTIC hosts NPT side-event on disarmament verification

Tuesday 8 May 2012 saw VERTIC host a side-event at the NPT PrepCom meeting in Vienna on the issue of multilateral nuclear disarmament verification. This event – hosted together with ISS Africa and with input from the New Agenda Coalition – included three presentations: one by VERTIC Researcher David Cliff; one by Michiel Combrink, representing the New Agenda Coalition; and one by VERTIC Senior Researcher David Keir.

VERTIC releases report on illicit trafficking of nuclear and radioactive material

VERTIC has released a timely report analysing the legal instruments that currently underpin efforts to tackle the illicit trafficking of nuclear and other radioactive material.

New blog post: VERTIC appearances at the NPT PrepCom

In today’s blog post, Andreas Persbo highlights changes to the VERTIC blog, thanks the outgoing editor, and also gives a preview of what’s in store for next week's NPT PrepCom.

Read the full post here.

VERTIC appearances at the NPT PrepCom

Next week, VERTIC will give three presentations at the NPT PrepCom at two different meetings – rolling out or highlighting several new and exciting projects. Here in London, there will be changes to the way this blog is administered. We will strive to keep you updated with new online content every Thursday, as customary. However, our organization’s permanent staff will from now on share the editorial responsibility for the content.

Registration open for VERTIC-Wilton Park verification conference

Registration is now open for the upcoming VERTIC-Wilton Park conference ‘Verification in the 21st century – technological, political and institutional challenges and opportunities’, to be held from Sunday 17 June to Wednesday 20 June 2012.

VERTIC Researcher David Cliff on Voice of Russia

Monday 16 April 2012 saw VERTIC Researcher David Cliff appear on a Voice of Russia radio panel discussion to discuss the Iranian nuclear crisis in the wake of recent talks held between Iran and the ‘P5+1’ group of countries in Istanbul.

Department of Safeguards releases documents

It is often difficult, even for those that specialize in verification, to get a grip on how the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) safeguards system actually works. Most would know that it involves the state declaring that they have a certain amount of material, with the IAEA checking that the declaration is correct. But how does the inspectors actually go about checking this, and how do states in practice declare their fissile material holdings? A new set of documents on the Agency website shows just that.

New blog post: Clearing the fog surrounding nuclear security

This week in the VERTIC blog, Hugh Chalmers looks back at the progress made at the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit and wonders if there is any way to clear the fog surrounding national nuclear security practices.

Clearing the fog surrounding nuclear security

Now that the dust has settled on the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit (NSS), held last month in Seoul, commentators have begun releasing their reviews. These reviews are not universally complementary by any means. A common thread, illuminating a flaw in a patchwork approach towards improved nuclear security, weaves many of these commentaries together. In one form or another, calls are being made for a more transparent approach to demonstrating nationally-implemented measures for improved nuclear security.

VERTIC researcher David Cliff on VOA news

Yesterday, VERTIC researcher David Cliff appeared on Voice of America, giving commentary on the up-coming talks with Iran.

The Iranian nuclear crisis: growing stockpiles and rising stakes

In recent months, tensions over the Iranian nuclear programme have escalated considerably. This increase, and the associated rise in Western pressure on Iran’s government (not to mention the talk of war), is largely the result of two factors. First, the November 2011 publication – by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) – of a broad-ranging overview of suspected Iranian nuclear weapons-related research and development. And second, an increase in Iran’s uranium enrichment capability (highly-enriched uranium being one of the two kinds of material essential for developing nuclear explosive devices) through the activation of a new enrichment facility.

New Iran article published

A piece by VERTIC Researcher David Cliff, on the Iranian nuclear crisis, has today been published in the ITPCM International Commentary. The article – which has also been posted on the VERTIC blog – looks both at the most recent IAEA report on safeguards implementation in Iran and also ahead to coming talks between Iran and the 'P5+1' group of countries.

Read the full publication here.

Some legal aspects of Iran’s nuclear programme

On 30 March, Andreas Persbo participated in the second meeting of the International Law Association’s Committee on Nuclear weapons, non proliferation & contemporary international law. He delivered a short presentation on some of the legal issues surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme. The same session also heard a presentation on the latest IAEA report on Iran by Professor Daniel Joyner of the University of Alabama School of Law.

Download Mr Persbo’s presentation here.

Returning to the recipe for avian superflu

The debate continues on whether to publish scientific research that details how avian flu, a highly deadly virus for both birds and humans, can be made transmissible between mammals. In a previous post, it was mentioned that publishing this research in a redacted fashion and sharing it with a select group of researchers can be supported under the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC). While a World Health Organization meeting in February called for full publication of the study, the Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade has now pointed out that the researchers, who are based in the Netherlands, have to request an export permit. How is export control law related to the publication of this research?

Trust & Verify No. 136

In this issue Gregory Briner looks at the implications for climate change monitoring after the 'COP17' conference in Durban, David Keir ponders the use of robotics in nuclear warhead dismantlement verification, and Scott Spence addresses the evolution of the VERTIC National Implementation Measures programme.

New blog post: Department of Safeguards releases documents

This week in the VERTIC blog Andreas Persbo celebrates the public release of a number of documents from the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Department of Safeguards.

VERTIC welcomes Dr. Neil Selby to the consultants network

VERTIC is very pleased to welcome Dr. Neil Selby to the International Verification Consultants Network. This exclusive network of prominent arms control and environment experts assists the Executive Director in his strategic planning, and also gives advice on VERTIC publications.

New blog post: Returning to the recipe for avian superflu

As the Netherlands inform scientists that research into avian flu will need an export permit before publication, Yasemin Balci examines the legal basis of such a measure in both national and European legislation.

Nuclear verification issues and priorities in Iran

Late January 2012 saw a high-level International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) delegation – led by the Agency’s head of safeguards, Herman Nackaerts – travel to Iran with the goal of resolving ‘all outstanding substantive issues’ relating to the country’s controversial nuclear activities. The visit came amidst an upswing in tension between Iran and Western countries over an EU ban on Iranian oil imports, and just a few months after the IAEA issued a 12-page summary of ‘Possible Military Dimensions to Iran’s Nuclear Programme’. In his November 2011 report on Iran to the IAEA Board of Governors (to which the 12-page summary was annexed), the IAEA’s Director general, Yukiya Amano, noted the Agency’s ‘serious concerns’ that Iran's nuclear programme was not of an entirely peaceful nature. Having ‘carefully and critically’ assessed the ‘extensive information available to it’ – and having found that information ‘to be, overall, credible’ – Mr Amano’s report stated that Iran appears to have carried out ‘activities relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device.’ Prior to the end of 2003, the report said, these activities seemed to have taken place under a ‘structured programme’. According to indications in the information available to the Agency, some activities relevant to weapons development continued after 2003, and it was judged that some activities may still be ongoing.

VERTIC holds disarmament verification meeting in South Africa

Between 7-8 March 2012, VERTIC, working alongside the African Institute for Security Studies (ISS), convened a meeting in South Africa to discuss issues surrounding the potential role of relevant intergovernmental organizations in nuclear disarmament verification. The meeting, held near Johannesburg, was well-attended by representatives from a number of non-nuclear-weapon states and an intergovernmental organization. VERTIC is grateful to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their financial support for this meeting, and the project under which it was held, as well as to all who participated. More details about this project can be found here, and in VERTIC’s Brief No. 17: ‘Multilateral verification: Exploring new ideas’. A second meeting is to be held in London in August 2012.

Verifying the CTBT

Can the verification regime of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) detect illicit nuclear testing with a high degree of confidence? This question was the topic of conversation on March 2, 2012, when the EastWest Institute, in partnership with London-based VERTIC, hosted a seminar on the verification capabilities of the current Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. Moderated by EWI’s Jacqueline Miller and Andreas Persbo, Executive Director of VERTIC, the seminar featured presentations by experts Jenifer Mackby and Edward Ifft on technical advancements that have direct bearing on the CTBT’s robust and multifaceted verification regime.

New blog post: Chinese emissions monitoring put to the test

Last year China announced that it was taking preliminary steps towards implementing a nation-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions cap-and-trade scheme. As trial projects begin in seven cities and provinces, it seems the world’s largest emitter of GHGs may soon join the EU as the second global actor to implement cap-and-trade. Following in the EU’s steps has given China the benefit of hindsight, and the nation is under no illusions as to the volatility and complexity of carbon trading. Such schemes require firm control and robust monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV), as the EU discovered when the value of their carbon credits plummeted to a four-year low in January. Is the current Chinese MRV infrastructure up to the task?

Chinese emissions monitoring put to the test

Yongbyon redux

North Korea and the US announced recently that they have reached an agreement whereby North Korea undertakes to stop conducting nuclear and long-range missile tests, and to halt nuclear activities at the Yongbyon facility. Importantly, the DPRK has also announced it shall allow International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors back to Yongbyon to confirm aspects of this suspension. The UN nuclear watchdog has stated that its inspectors are ready to monitor the key site. Given the fractious relationship the DPRK has had with Agency inspectors, how might this long-awaited return play out, and where might the limits of North Korean cooperation lie?

Final preparations for the Durban climate change conference

The 17th Conference of Parties (COP 17) under the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Durban is fast approaching. After meeting in Panama for the last time before Durban, delegates from two fundamental negotiating strands produced texts to facilitate negotiations. With less than five weeks remaining, the resulting texts will give the Conference of Parties a lot to discuss. However, it seems they will be unable to promote the outcome which many developing states hope for; realising a second commitment period (CP2) under the Kyoto Protocol (KP).

RSS feed now on the VERTIC homepage

An RSS feed has been added to the VERTIC website, which is accessible through the RSS button on the bottom right of the home page. Our visitors with RSS readers will get automatic updates on the latest VERTIC news and blog postings.

New blog post: Yongbyon redux

New blog post: An illuminating look into black carbon

Short-lived pollutants such as black carbon do not typically enjoy the same attention given to greenhouse gases in multilateral climate change negotiations, despite making a significant contribution to global warming. But recent news suggests that when nations focus on these pollutants, they can agree to powerful mitigation measures in a relatively short time. With financial support from a small number of nations, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) will soon implement a programme aimed at tackling these pollutants at their source; the inefficient burning of fuels. According to UNEP, if implemented widely enough this programme alone could halve the global temperature rise projected for 2050. Despite this potential, all financial support for this ‘second front in the fight against global warming’ has come from outside the dominant multilateral climate change negotiating forum. Is there a way to monitor the global levels of black carbon, and if there is how might it widen and improve the support for this new front?

An illuminating look into black carbon

Britain and disarmament

Today, VERTIC hosted the launch of the latest book by Dr John R. Walker, entitled Britain and Disarmament: The UK and Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Weapons Arms Control and Programmes 1956-1975.

New blog post: Europe’s emissions trading scheme expands to new heights

As of 1 January 2012 aircraft operators with flights originating or terminating at airports within the European Community must participate in the European Greenhouse Gas Emission Allowance Trading Scheme (EU ETS). The EU ETS has been in place for energy intensive industrial installations since 2005, and is now the first market-based trading scheme to include emissions from aviation activities. As the expansion covers all incoming and outgoing flights, non-EU states have begun questioning its international legitimacy. Do the monitoring, reporting and verification procedures for the expanded emissions trading scheme shed any light on their concerns?

Europe’s emissions trading scheme expands to new heights

VERTIC's Board of Trustees selects new Chair and President of the VERTIC Charity

VERTIC’s Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that Dr Edwina Moreton will assume the chairmanship of the Board, effective today. The Board has also selected General Hugh Beach as President of the VERTIC Charity.

New blog post: Promising plastics and neutron detection

For those attempting to detect sensitive fissile materials, the nature of their quarry creates significant obstacles to their hunt. Issues relating to safety, security, secrecy and size all work against nuclear inspectors, and are all unavoidably the result of the items of concern. The radiation produced by some materials, and the potentially devastating uses of others, requires such a high level of material isolation that direct interaction by nuclear inspectors is highly unlikely. This makes finding these materials somewhat like looking for a needle in a haystack, without the ability to search through the haystack. And the consequences of missing the needle can be huge. This problem was not over-stated by the former International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Mohamed ElBaradei when he said: ‘Either we begin finding creative, outside-the-box solutions or the international nuclear safeguards regime will become obsolete.’ Thankfully, recent advances in radiation detection technology show that this call has not gone unanswered.

Promising plastics and neutron detection

Civil law version of VERTIC’s Sample Act now available

The National Implementation Measures team has created a new version of the ‘Sample Act for National Implementation of the 1972 Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention and Related Requirements of UN Security Council Resolution 1540’ for countries with a civil law system.

The civil law version of the Sample Act is available in French and Spanish.

The New START treaty: going well, as far as it goes

A little over a year has now gone by since the US-Russian ‘New START’ agreement on strategic offensive nuclear arms came into effect. The pact, a harder-fought battle within the US Senate than many at one time anticipated, was approved there in December 2010 and by the Russian parliament in January 2011. On 5 February 2011, the two countries exchanged the relevant instruments of ratification and the active life of the treaty began.

New blog post: The New START treaty: going well, as far as it goes

A little over a year has now gone by since the US-Russian 'New START' agreement on strategic offensive nuclear arms came into effect. The pact, a harder-fought battle within the US Senate than many at one time anticipated, was approved there in December 2010 and by the Russian parliament in January 2011. On 5 February 2011, the two countries exchanged the relevant instruments of ratification and the active life of the treaty began.

Read the full post here.

Public air quality verification in Beijing

Earlier this month China announced the opening of a Beijing-based air quality monitoring centre to the public, and the adoption of stricter air quality monitoring standards. This announcement comes on the back of a social media campaign launched by high-profile figures within Chinese society. These recent changes raise questions of the transparency of China’s environmental monitoring system.

New blog post: Nuclear verification issues and priorities in Iran

New report on the state of nuclear non-proliferation and safeguards

Although its demise is often foretold, the nuclear non- proliferation regime remains an essential part of the overall international security architecture. It is important that it remains so given the projected rise in the number of countries investing in nuclear power programmes. With this possible increase of states with nuclear power, and the associated extra facilities that would need to be safeguarded, the need for a robust and efficient International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards system is becoming an increasing imperative.

Multilateral verification: Exploring new ideas

Today, VERTIC released a briefing paper on the subject of ‘Multilateral verification: Exploring new ideas’. This paper, by David Cliff and David Keir, outlines new thinking in the realm of multilateral disarmament verification and considers the arguments for incorporating multilateralism into future verified disarmament processes.

New blog post: The Biological Weapons Convention and the recipe for avian superflu

Scientists in the Netherlands and the United States may have changed avian flu into a superflu virus. With a human mortality rate of 60%, avian flu was already a highly dangerous disease. But the new version is also highly contagious, potentially spreading from human to human as easily as the seasonal flu. Although the scientists were eager to publish their results, security experts doubted whether the findings should be disclosed, stating that publication of the study could serve as a recipe for biological weapons. What does the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC) say on the silencing or sharing of scientific developments?

The Biological Weapons Convention and the recipe for avian superflu

New blog post: Building confidence in the BWC

Following the conclusion of the Seventh Review Conference of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), it is clear there has been no significant progress towards formally verifying compliance to the convention. Considering the impact of what little progress that was made at the conference, and what steps can be taken to improve confidence in the convention, is therefore all the more important.

Building confidence in the BWC

Is a step towards laser enrichment a step back for nuclear non-proliferation?

Collecting sufficient quantities of fissile material is often considered the most challenging step towards acquiring nuclear weapons. As such, controlling the techniques used for accumulating highly-enriched uranium is a crucial aspect of nuclear non-proliferation. Laser enrichment, a third-generation technology offering a cheap and efficient route to enriched uranium, has recently moved one step closer to becoming a commercially-viable reality. Provided this technological development reaches a successful conclusion, it is worth considering the potential proliferation risks involved. What could both national and international authorities put in place, in terms of verification and safeguarding, to mitigate the risks posed?

New blog post: Is a step towards laser enrichment a step back for nuclear non-proliferation?

New blog post: Reflections on the Durban climate change conference

After an intense two weeks of negotiations in Durban, the seventeenth UN climate change conference came to a dramatic close on the 11th of December. The quantity of decisions and reports produced is a clear indication of the intimidating workload which kept delegates negotiating in to the final moments of a two-day extension. With the conference outcomes in hand, the final blog post of 2011 will wrap up this year’s coverage of climate change negotiations by reflecting on issues raised by previous posts.

Reflections on the Durban climate change conference

Trust & Verify No. 135

In this issue David Cliff addresses verification options for a Weapons of Mass Destruction-Free Zone in the Middle East and assesses the importance of the CTBT for regional and global security. Plus: Verification Watch, Science & Technology Scan, Verification Quotes and Programme News (with a special feature looking back over VERTIC’s 25th anniversary year). This issue also includes some end-of-year reflections by VERTIC’s Executive Director Andreas Persbo, and a past VERTIC director, Trevor Findlay, remembers former VERTIC Board member Susan Willett, who passed away earlier this year.

Read the full issue here.

Wilton Park non-proliferation conference ends

This year's Wilton Park Conference on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is now officially over. All that remains is the carol service and the formal dinner. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to chair a break-out group on verification and today, my rapporteur, Ms Meena Singelee, gave a short overview of the outcome of our discussions.

Advance Science Course on Science and Diplomacy

On 8 December 2011, Andreas Persbo traveled to Vienna, Austria, to deliver a talk on the interface between science and diplomacy to the CTBTO Advance Science Course on Science and Diplomacy. A write-up from the CTBTO is available on its website.

Mr. Persbo's presentation is available here (PDF, 356 KB).

New blog post: Wilton Park conference ends

Read the full post here.

VERTIC holds a 25th anniversary event in Geneva

VERTIC held a 25th anniversary event in Geneva, which included the official launch of the expansion of its NIM Programme into legislative drafting assistance for the comprehensive implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1540.

The delicate details of forest protection verification

Although negotiations at the 17th Conference of Parties (COP 17) under the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) are still underway, indicators of progress have already emerged. In particular, a draft decision circulated by a technical working group contains a number of interesting provisions for the monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) of forest-protection activities. As the Conference of Parties nears its end, what does this draft tell us about the development of forest protection verification?

New blog post: forest protection verification

VERTIC gives statement to the BWC Seventh Review Conference

VERTIC gave a statement today during the afternoon session of the Seventh Review Conference of the BWC.

New blog post: Public air quality verification in Beijing

Read the new post here.

VERTIC participates in CWC Conference of the States Parties

Yasemin Balci (Associate Legal Officer) participated in the 16th Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention held from 27 November to 3 December in The Hague, the Netherlands.

New blog post: Exercising the CTBTO's on-site inspectors

The Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBTO) recently announced the approval of a budget for the next on-site inspection (OSI) exercise. With a budget of US$10,300,000, this exercise will be a significant step towards strengthening the organisation’s OSI capabilities. The first such exercise, held in September 2008, revealed a number of important issues that will have to be resolved before the CTBTO’s OSI capabilities reach full strength. What is the aim of OSI exercises, and why are they important for the overall development of the CTBTO’s verification capabilities?

Exercising the CTBTO's on-site inspectors

The Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBTO) recently announced the approval of a budget for the next on-site inspection (OSI) exercise. With a budget of US$10,300,000, this exercise will be a significant step towards strengthening the organisation’s OSI capabilities. The first such exercise, held in September 2008, revealed a number of important issues that will have to be resolved before the CTBTO's OSI capabilities reach full strength. What is the aim of OSI exercises, and why are they important for the overall development of the CTBTO’s verification capabilities?

Algeria and the Netherlands legislation added to BWC Legislation Database

VERTIC's NIM Team has added legislation for Algeria and the Netherlands related to national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention to VERTIC's BWC Legislation Database.

NIM Legal Officers participate in Latin America/Caribbean regional workshop on 7th BWC Review Conference

Scott Spence, Senior Legal Officer, and Rocio Escauriaza Leal, Legal Officer participated in the 'Regional Workshop for Latin America and the Caribbean on the
Seventh Review Conference and National Implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention', during 9-11 November 2011, in Lima, Peru.

New blog post: Iran and the Board of Governors

When the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors meet this week, the 35 member-state representatives will have some important decisions to make. Last Tuesday’s IAEA report on Iran has yet again stirred intense debate over the nature of Iran’s nuclear capabilities, and the appropriate policy responses. While certain states may advocate particular responses to the disclosures contained in this document, ultimately the appropriate multilateral response will come through the Board of Governors. In the light cast by the clear and detailed case against Iran contained within the Director General’s report, what could or should the Board of Governors do?

Iran and the Board of Governors

VERTIC delivers statement to CTBT workshop

Today saw VERTIC Researcher David Cliff deliver a statement to a cross-regional workshop on the ‘Role of the CTBT in Regional and Global Security’ in Istanbul, Turkey. The workshop has been jointly organised by the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation and the Turkish government.

VERTIC identified as legislative assistance provider in UN Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force report

VERTIC has been identified as a legislative assistance provider in the UN Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force's 'Report of the Working Group on Preventing and Responding to Weapons of Mass Destruction Attacks: Interagency Coordination in the Event of a Terrorist Attack Using Chemical or Biological Weapons or Materials'.

VERTIC's Senior Legal Officer participates in SE Europe regional workshop on the BWC Seventh Review Conference

VERTIC's Senior Legal Officer, Scott Spence, participated in a 'Regional Workshop for South-East Europe on the Seventh Review Conference of the Biological Weapons Convention' in Belgrade, Serbia during 1-2 November 2011.

Fears of further North Korean nuke tests

Stanford Professor Siegfried Hecker, a regular visitor to North Korea, recently highlighted the possibility that the isolated nation might turn to further nuclear testing. The South Korean government also fear this possibility. Why might North Korea return to nuclear testing? And if they do, how easy will it be to detect?

New blog post: Fears of further North Korean nuke tests

India's proposals for the assessment and review of climate change action

As noted last week, a frenzy of submissions and proposals has emerged in the run up to the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP 17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). A particular talking point in the conference, which is to be held in Durban (November 28 – 9 December 2011), will relate to India’s recent submission to the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA). This submission suggests some interesting adjustments to common verification practices under the Convention.

New blog post: India's proposals for the assessment and review of climate change action

VERTIC releases Brief No. 16

VERTIC has today released Brief No. 16 on ‘The CTBT: Verification and Deterrence’.

New blog post: Final preparations for the Durban climate change conference

NIM Programme Senior Legal Officer contributes to UNIDIR/UNODA BWC 7th Review Conference publication

Scott Spence, VERTIC's NIM Programme Senior Legal Officer, contributed the chapter 'National implementation through an effective legislative framework' in the UNIDIR/UNODA publication for the BWC Seventh Review Conference: 'Improving Implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention - The 2007–2010 Intersessional Process'.

The NIM Programme Legal Officer contributes to l’Observatoire de la Non-Proliferation

Rocio Escauriaza Leal, VERTIC’s Legal Officer, contributed to the September issue of L'Observatoire de la Non-Prolifération/The Non-Proliferation Monthly (nº63) - issued by CESIM.

Paraguay and Uruguay legislation added to BWC Legislation Database

VERTIC's NIM Team has added legislation from Paraguay and Uruguay related to national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention, to VERTIC's BWC Legislation Database.

New blog post: looking back at the 2011 CTBTO Article XIV Conference

On 23 September 2011, over 160 ministers and senior officials convened at the United Nations in New York for the seventh biennial Article XIV Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). Their two-fold purpose was deceptively simple. First, to “urge all States to remain seized of the issue at the highest political level.” Second, to encourage holdout Annex II States to commit themselves to signing and ratifying the CTBT “at the earliest possible date, thus ridding the world once and for all of nuclear test explosions.” Guinea was the latest to ratify the treaty mere days beforehand, rounding up a list of 155 ratifications and 182 States Signatories. However, this small victory is obscured by the lack of significant movement on other fronts.

Bringing the CTBT into force: looking back at the 2011 Article XIV Conference

Article on National Implementation of the BWC in India and Pakistan

Zahoor Ahmed's article on 'National implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention – The case of India and Pakistan', published by the South Asian Strategic Stability Institute (SASSI) is now available on our website.

VERTIC félicite le Burundi pour la ratification de la Convention sur l’Interdiction des Armes Biologiques - VERTIC wishes to congratulate Burundi for the ratification of the BWC

Burundi deposited its instrument of ratification in London on 18 October 2011, becoming a State Party to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and bringing the membership of the BWC to 165. By joining the Convention, Burundi has set an example for the other 15 African States which haven't yet joined the BWC.

VERTIC's Senior Legal Officer participates in 'Biosecurity and Biosafety: Future Trends and Solutions' symposium

Scott Spence, VERTIC's Senior Legal Officer, participated in the symposium 'Biosecurity and Biosafety: Future Trends and Solutions' in Milan, Italy during 12-14 October.

Building confidence between India and Pakistan: 'a step whose time has come'

The development of confidence-building measures (CBMs) between India and Pakistan was recently given a boost by a July meeting of the Colombo Group in Sofia, Bulgaria. The Group, comprised primarily of South Asian security experts, engaged in a mock exercise to explore the verified retirement of surplus short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs). This activity, which involved participants from both states, hoped to identify the fundamental issues involved in conducting practical dismantlement exercises in order to build towards an actual verification agreement. As India’s Prithvi I SRBM and Pakistan’s Haft I SRBM approach obsolescence, this is an ideal time to ascertain whether their removal from service can be used to build trust between both states.

VERTIC launches report on 'Irreversibility in Nuclear Disarmament'

On Friday 14 October 2011, VERTIC’s Executive Director Andreas Persbo delivered a presentation on nuclear disarmament irreversibility, the subject of a newly-released VERTIC report, at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York. The New York gathering was organised to mark the twin launch of VERTIC’s report, ‘Irreversibility in Nuclear Disarmament: Practical steps against nuclear rearmament’, and a companion report on irreversibility by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Both reports were written under grants from the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.

New blog post: Building confidence between India and Pakistan: 'a step whose time has come'

The development of confidence-building measures (CBMs) between India and Pakistan was recently given a boost by a July meeting of the Colombo Group in Sofia, Bulgaria. The Group, comprised primarily of South Asian security experts, engaged in a mock exercise to explore the verified dismantlement of surplus short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs). This activity, which involved participants from both states, hoped to identify the fundamental issues involved in conducting practical dismantlement exercises in order to build towards an actual verification agreement. As India’s Prithvi I SRBM and Pakistan’s Haft I SRBM approach obsolescence, this is an ideal time to ascertain whether their removal from service can be used to build trust between both states.

Can GPS navigate us to covert underground nuclear test sites?

An op-ed recently published in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists suggests that there might be a new way to detect underground nuclear test explosions. The authors, a group of scientists from Ohio State University, have been working on turning a troublesome vulnerability of a common system into something useful. Their findings suggest that data from Global Positioning Systems (GPS), commonly used in navigation, could be used to augment existing detection techniques by detecting airborne shockwaves created by underground test explosions. The location of such explosions can then be narrowed down by comparing data on these shockwaves collected from nearby GPS receivers. This seems like a fascinating potential use of existing technology. However, there is an important issue which could prevent it from becoming a reality.

New blog post: Can GPS navigate us to covert underground nuclear test sites?

Trust & Verify No. 134

In this issue Sonia Drobysz looks at recent changes in the IAEA safeguards system, while Rocio Escauriaza Leal writes on the challenges and opportunities associated with efforts to secure universal acceptance of the Biological Weapons Convention. Plus, Verification Watch, Science & Technology Scan, Verification Quotes, Programme News and reflections by the Executive Director.

Read the full issue here.

New blog post: Monitoring the decline of Arctic ice

Before the introduction of satellites, measuring the extent of Arctic sea ice was an arduous task. Historical studies using shipping logs, exhibitions and diaries give a rough indication of the spread of Arctic ice over hundreds of years. Today, a network of satellites monitor the scope of the ice while on-ice and underwater observations determine changes to the depth. The information provided by these techniques paint a dramatic picture of the future of the Arctic region. It is therefore important that they are understood, appreciated, and improved.

Monitoring the decline of Arctic ice

New blog post: The (temporary) fall of the safeguards resolution

As some may have noticed, last week’s IAEA General Conference ended without member states being able to agree on a safeguards resolution. Reuters put the blame on some member states, quoting two Western envoys. This story was picked up by Global Security Newswire on 27 September. While there is some truth to the story, it doesn’t pick up on all the complexities of the debate.

The (temporary) fall of the safeguards resolution

Information on e-mail to VERTIC staff

We have recently had an e-mail outage lasting from 7:10 am on Friday until about 10:00 am on Monday. Our landlord changed internet providers but failed to forward the relevant information to our IT consultants, leading to a complete loss of communications.

Fifth day of the 55th IAEA General Conference

Earlier tonight, the IAEA General Conference ended with the adoption of resolutions on application of safeguards in the Middle East and nuclear security, but failed on safeguards and postponed discussions on Israeli nuclear capabilities.

New blog post: Fifth day of the 55th IAEA General Conference

Read the full post here.

New blog post: Fourth day of the 55th IAEA General Conference

Day four of the IAEA General Conference saw some interesting developments. The general debate concluded with the final country statements. Following this, the plenary moved onto other agenda items: the resolution on the DPRK, examination of credentials and the appointment of the Board of Governors.

Fourth day of the 55th IAEA General Conference

Third day of the 55th IAEA General Conference

During the third day of the 55th IAEA General Conference, country statements concluded, safeguards were deliberated, and discussions were held on nuclear safety in the wake of the Fukushima accident. With only two days of discussion left, some progress has been made on finalising texts. However, contentious issues remain regarding a nuclear security resolution and the language used to describe the Additional Protocol.

New blog post: Third day of the 55th IAEA General Conference

Second day of the 55th IAEA General Conference

Today at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference, country statements continued in the plenary. These statements focused on safety, the Middle East and safeguards implementation issues. At the same time, the Committee of the Whole held its first session during which discussions on the safeguards resolution began. Safeguards were also discussed at length during a side event hosted by the Swiss government.

New blog post: Second day of the 55th IAEA General Conference

Read the new post here.

Opening of the 55th IAEA General Conference

This morning the 55th regular session of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference opened in Vienna. After welcoming all the participants the elected president of the conference, Ambassador Cornel Feruta of Romania, highlighted nuclear safety as one of the main topics of this year’s session. He called on the plenary to endorse the action plan on nuclear safety and security adopted by the IAEA Board of Governors last week. The plan was presented as the first step of an ongoing effort to ensure all nuclear activities are conducted in a safe manner.

New blog post: Opening of the 55th IAEA General Conference

This morning the 55th regular session of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference opened in Vienna. VERTIC intern Kate Farrell and pro-bono consultant Sonia Drobysz report on the first day of the conference.

Read the full report here.

VERTIC presentation on multilateral verification

Today, VERTIC Senior Researcher Dr David Keir made a presentation to the 54th IAEA General Conference in Vienna, addressing the issue of multilateral disarmament verification - a subject area that the VERTIC Arms Control and Disarmament Programme is particularly active in.

The presentation looks at the importance of verification itself, and the benefits that multilateral involvement in verification can provide. It looks back to the UK-Norway Initiative, a collaborative research effort that VERTIC has in the past been closely involved with, and forward to the potential future roles of non-nuclear-weapon states - and international organizations – in nuclear disarmament verification processes.

‘By promoting inclusiveness and equity, effective multilateralism can create order and legitimacy in international affairs’, Dr Keir said. ‘Effective multilateral disarmament verification research has the potential to build trust among parties, to find a consensus on the key technical and procedural sticking-points, to generate ways of resolving those issues, to further the disarmament cause and to bring new states into the disarmament fold.’

The presentation is available in full here.

New blog post: Bad vibrations: windfarms and seismic monitors

The Guardian recently reported that the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) blocked a planning application from REG Windpower to build a wind farm near Eskdalemuir. The MoD prevented construction because the vibrations from the wind farms would disturb seismic monitoring activities at Eskdalemuir. Although this frustrated REG Windpower, the Eskdalemuir monitor is part of the CTBT’s International Monitoring System (IMS). Preventing interference with this system is important, and the MoD has a strong reason to deny the application. The MoD would object to any new turbines within 50 km of the station to ensure monitoring is not disturbed. Wind power developers are free to build outside of the 50 km zone. The problem is that Eskdalemuir is an ideal space for wind farms because it is open and sparsely populated. Unfortunately, those are the same qualities that make it an excellent seismic monitoring site.

Read the full post by Isadora Blachman-Biatch here.

Bad vibrations: windfarms and seismic monitors

David Keir joins VERTIC’s arms control programme

Dr. David Keir joined the arms control and disarmament programme in early September 2011. He brings a wealth of technical expertise into the organization.

VERTIC staff complete training at International School of Nuclear Law

VERTIC's Senior Legal Officer, Scott Spence, and NIM/AC&D Consultant, Samir Mechken, recently completed training at the International School of Nuclear Law.

Cameroon and Trinidad and Tobago legislation added to BWC Legislation Database

VERTIC's NIM Team has added legislation from Cameroon and Trinidad and Tobago related to national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention, to VERTIC's BWC Legislation Database.

New blog post: Kyoto at Durban: addressing the agenda

At the end of November, South Africa will host representatives from up to 194 states for the 17th Conference of Parties (COP 17) under the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC). The first Kyoto Protocol (KP) commitment period will expire next year. There is now significant pressure from developing states for a second commitment period to extend this, the only legally-binding set of emission reductions. However if South Africa hope to realise the conference motto of ‘Working Together, Saving Tomorrow’, they must respond to this pressure with great subtlety.

Read the post by Hugh Chalmers here.

Kyoto at Durban: addressing the agenda

Monitoring pathogens with the air conditioner

The United States Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) recently conducted a study which highlights potential improvements in national methods of biological pathogen surveillance and detection. The paper is entitled ‘The NYC Native Air Sampling Pilot Project: Using HVAC Filter Data for Urban Biological Incident Characterization’. It shows that commercial heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, installed in many modern buildings, could be used to improve existing methods for monitoring the spread of airborne biological agents.

New blog post: Monitoring pathogens with the air conditioner

Read the post by Isadora Blachman-Biatch here.

Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Moldova, Saint Vincent and Turkey legislation added to BWC Legislation Database

VERTIC's NIM Team has added legislation from Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Moldova, Saint Vincent and Turkey related to national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention, to VERTIC's BWC Legislation Database.

OPCW training paves the way for chemical transfers

From 18-22 July, 2011, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the Republic of Ukraine held a regional training course for customs authorities in Eastern Europe. 20 participants from 16 states gathered in Kiev to explore technical aspects of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) transfers regime. Opening the training course, Mr Ruslan Nimchynskyi, Acting Head of Arms Control for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, noted that the fullest exchange of chemicals for peaceful purposes requires effective implementation of the CWC transfers regime.

New blog post: OPCW training paves the way for chemical transfers

Read the post by Kate Farrell here.

New blog post: The UNSC and climate change: a debatable mandate

On 20 July 2011, the UN Security Council again held a debate on whether climate change is a threat to international peace and security. If it found so, the Council would be free to use its powers under the UN Charter to address it. The first such meeting in four years revealed new issues and cast a different light on the more familiar ones. What was the outcome of these discussions, and how did the Council see its role?

Read the post by Rebecca Pryce here.

The UNSC and climate change: a debatable mandate

VERTIC releases Brief No. 15

VERTIC released today Brief No. 15 'Verifying multilateral regimes: uncertain futures'.

New blog post: Restricting Maritime Pollution

On 1 August 2011, new amendments to the MARPOL 73/78 convention under the International Maritime Organization (IMO) came into force. The new amendments which were signed on the 26 March 2010 affect both annexes I and VI of the MARPOL 73/78 convention, whose name is shorthand for the ‘International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 as modified by the Protocol of 1978’. The amended annexes regulate maritime activities with the aim of preventing crude oil pollution and reducing air pollution.

Read the full post by Isadora Blachman-Biatch here.

Restricting Maritime Pollution

New blog post: reflection on the Middle East WMDFZ

A zone free of weapons of mass destructions has long been a stated desire of many, if not all, of the governments in the broader Middle East. However, bitter disagreement pervades on how to reach this goal. A recent round of discussions in Brussels has showed that discussion is possible, but also clearly highlighted that the road towards the objective remains mined with difficult obstacles.

Read the post by Isadora Blachman-Biatch here.

Reflection on the Middle East WMDFZ

A zone free of weapons of mass destruction has long been a stated desire of many, if not all, of the governments in the broader Middle East. However, bitter disagreement pervades on how to reach this goal. A recent round of discussions in Brussels has shown that discussion is possible, but also clearly highlighted that the road towards the objective remains mined with difficult obstacles.

New blog post: Student VEREX: a host perspective

As a student of nuclear weapons proliferation, I have often hoped that one day I would be referred to as a ‘nuclear weapons specialist’. During the first student-led warhead dismantlement simulation, held in Oslo between 13-17 June 2011, I was somewhat prematurely asked to become exactly that. Along with 19 other students, I spent five days at the Norwegian Institute for Energy Technology outside Oslo as a citizen of a fictitious country, negotiating a verification protocol for a conceptual warhead dismantlement treaty known as the ‘Maghda Agreement’.

Read the full post by Hugh Chalmers, here.

Student VEREX: a host perspective

CAR, Ethiopia, Guinea, Haiti and St Kitts and Nevis legislation added to BWC Legislation Database

VERTIC's NIM Team has added legislation from Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Guinea, Haiti and Saint Kitts and Nevis related to national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention, to VERTIC's BWC Legislation Database.

New blog post: Improving communications from space

Today, space-based satellite monitoring systems face a problem. Their sensors, which are become ever more sophisticated, produce more information than can be easily transmitted back to earth. Installing better computing equipment on the satellites could break this bottleneck. But can today’s complicated chips withstand one of the great hazards of orbit, space radiation?

Read the full post by Rebecca Pryce here.

Improving communications from space

New blog post: Syria referred to UNSC

On 9 June the IAEA Board of Governors opted to refer Syria to the UN Security Council, the first such referral since Iran’s case was sent to the United Nations five years ago. The Security Council will now discuss the matter, and probably soon.

Read the full post by former VERTIC intern Mikael Shirazi here.

Syria referred to UNSC

After the director-general of the International Atomic Agency (IAEA), Yukiya Amano, produced his report on the suspected Syrian reactor in late May, VERTIC’s Andreas Persbo described the three likely options for what could happen next. The first involved DG Amano calling for a so-called ‘Special Inspection’ in the country under its 1992 Safeguards Agreement (Article 72, INFCIRC/407). The second option was for the IAEA Board of Governors to skip this step and put forward a resolution finding Syria in non-compliance with its safeguards obligations, subsequently referring Syria direct to the United Nations Security Council for further action. A third alternative was simply to do nothing. On 9 June the Board took option two, the first such referral since Iran’s case was sent to the United Nations five years ago. The Security Council will now discuss the matter, and probably soon.

New blog post: the value of interest in the BWC

Paul van den IJssel, President-designate of the Seventh Review Conference for the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), was quoted last week as saying that he is pleased that the BWC does not receive as much attention as other treaties, such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). As Robert Kadlec, the biosecurity adviser under former President George W. Bush noted, the community has ‘had no Prague speech ... [or] biological summit on this issue.’

To read the full post, click here.

Value of interest in BWC

Special Inspections

Last week’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report on Syria was widely anticipated. The country has been under suspicions of non-compliance with the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) for some time. The background is well-known. In September 2007, the Israeli Air Force suddenly and without warning bombed a facility in the middle of the Syrian desert. The Syrian and Israeli governments then remained surprisingly tight-lipped about the strike. The Israelis did not want to implicate an ally whose airspace they used for the strike. The Syrians seemingly only wanted to hush up the affair as quickly as possible.

VERTIC’s NIM team actively participates in BWC Manila ‘Superweek’

Angela Woodward and Rocio Escauriaza Leal participated in the “Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) Conference Week for East Asia and the Pacific” that took place from 27 June to 1 July in Makati City, Philippines.

Philippines, Fiji and the Republic of Korea legislation added to BWC Legislation Database

VERTIC's NIM Team has added legislation from the Philippines, Fiji and the Republic of Korea, related to national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention, to VERTIC's BWC Legislation Database.

Trust & Verify No. 133

In this issue Nicholas Sims looks ahead to the Seventh Review Conference of BWC states parties in December, while Mikael Shirazi and Andreas Persbo discuss the importance of the IAEA’s Additional Protocol in preventing the clandestine development of uranium enrichment facilities. Plus, Verification Watch, Verification Quotes and a special Science & Technology Scan with a travel report on the CTBT’s 2011 Science & Technology Conference by Kristiane Roe Hammer.

Student-led warhead dismantlement exercise held in Norway

Between 13-17 June 2011, students with backgrounds in the fields of nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear physics gathered in Norway to verify the dismantlement of a mock nuclear warhead.

New blog post: student-led NW dismantlement exercise held in Norway

In this post, VERTIC intern Kristiane Roe Hammer recounts her experience as lead inspector in a mock warhead dismantlement exercise held recently in Norway.

Read the full post here.

The slow growth of the Green Climate Fund

One of the most significant elements of the ‘Cancun Agreements’ was the creation of a ‘Green Climate Fund’ (GCF). On 28-29 April this year, the delegates chosen to design the fund gathered for their first meeting. There, they emphasised the importance of ‘clear accountability’ and ‘good governance’. But how are parties progressing towards these goals and what difficulties are likely to arise?

New blog post: the Green Climate Fund

In this post, former VERTIC intern Jospeh Burke looks at what progress has been made in the implementation of the recently-established Green Climate Fund - designed to streamline funding for climate mitigation actions around the world.

Read the full post here.

Deforestation and Google Earth

A recent article, making use of Google Earth imagery, on the environmental website Mongabay, has called attention to the damaged forests of Sarawak (a state in Malaysian Borneo), comparing their poor health with the apparently pristine forests just across the border in Indonesian and Bruneian territory.

New blog post: Deforestation and Google Earth

New blog post: Verification - How much is enough?

The Wilton Park conference "Uncertain futures: where next for multilateral verification?" took place during 1-3 June with over 50 participants from many regions of the world and from intergovernmental organisations, governments and civil society. It was part of VERTIC's 25th anniversary celebrations.

Verification: How much is enough?

Good morning everyone and welcome to the third session. It is, of course, always a pleasure to be back at Wilton Park. And I am very pleased to see so many friends and colleagues here. I'm also very pleased to have two former VERTIC directors, Trevor Findlay and Angela Woodward, around the table. And I hear that Patricia Lewis may join us over Skype from California later this evening.

Successful conclusion of Wilton Park conference in celebration of VERTIC's 25th anniversary

VERTIC anniversary conference closes with final sessions

Today saw the final two sessions of the VERTIC 25th anniversary conference held, with great engagement from participants, in the beautiful Wilton Park setting that the VERTIC staff have been pleased to call home for the last three days.

Uncertain futures: where next for multilateral verification?

The Wilton Park conference "Uncertain futures: where next for multilateral verification?" begins. It is part of VERTIC's 25th anniversary celebrations.

Second day of VERTIC-Wilton Park conference held

Today saw the second day of discussions at the VERTIC-Wilton Park conference in West Sussex.

VERTIC's 25th anniversary conference opens

Today saw the opening of VERTIC's 25th anniversary conference at the Wilton Park conference centre, set in the heart of the English countryside.

Comoros, Malaysia and Mozambique legislation added to the BWC Legislation Database

VERTIC's NIM Team has added legislation from Comoros, Malaysia and Mozambique, related to national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention, to VERTIC's BWC Legislation Database.

VERTIC wishes to congratulate Mozambique on its accession to the BWC - VERTIC deseja felicitar Moçambique sobre a sua adesão à Convenção sobre a Proibição de Armas Biológicas

Mozambique deposited its instrument of accession in London on 29 March 2011, becoming a State Party to the BWC and bringing the membership of the BWC to 164. By joining the Convention, Mozambique has set an example for the other 16 African States which haven't yet joined the BWC.

Countering Biological Threats: conference summary released

A summary of the conference 'Countering Biological Threats' was released today.

The Syria Probe

The Agency has released a report on Syria that states that the country has conducted a very likely violation of its safeguards agreement. But it refuses to state that a violation has occurred. What options are available for the IAEA Board of Governors?

New blog post: The Syria Probe

New blog: Lab-on-a-chip shows promise in preventing bioterrorism

An EU-funded research has developed a chip that can screen water for biological pathogens. The tiny chip renders slow laboratory analysis unnecessary and old-fashioned.

Lab-on-a-chip shows promise in preventing bioterrorism

An EU-funded research has developed a chip that can screen water for biological pathogens. The tiny chip renders slow laboratory analysis unnecessary and old-fashioned. This type of screening could prevent or severely limit the effects of a potential bio-attack on drinking water supplies. With the chip ready what they need now are buyers.

The incredible Nucifer

A French team has developed a radiation detector that detects five times as many antineutrinos as earlier detectors developed. The detector, called Nucifer, is part of a new generation of detectors that could potentially revolutionize nuclear reactor monitoring. The IAEA has taken renewed interested in the technology and the detectors, that for years had been considered too large and unreliable.

VERTIC welcomes the Rt. Hon. James Arbuthnot to the Board of Trustees

VERTIC today welcomes the Rt. Hon. James Arbuthnot to the Board of Trustees.

VERTIC welcomes Lord Browne of Ladyton to the Board of Trustees

Lord Browne of Ladyton was elected to the Board of Trustees on 11 May 2011.

VERTIC Senior Legal Officer participates in Countering Biological Threats conference in Tbilisi

VERTIC's Senior Legal Officer, Scott Spence, participated in the conference 'Countering Biological Threats' which took place in Tbilisi, Georgia during 17-19 May 2011.

New blog post: Separating the forest from the trees

Separating the forest from the trees

If a global agreement on climate change is to succeed, parties need to be able to trust that the others are keeping to their part of the bargain. Indispensable for this is the timely provision of reliable data. Recently, however, some have highlighted that a lack of resources and know-how in developing countries on forest carbon monitoring is leading to great errors in their reporting. In the long run, such errors could mean that the credibility of the monitoring regime could be undermined. However, how serious is that risk?

VERTIC releases Trust & Verify No. 40 to 49

Today, VERTIC continued its effort to make archived editions of Trust & Verify available to the research community.

VERTIC releases Trust & Verify No. 50 to 62

Today, VERTIC continued its effort to make archived editions of Trust & Verify available to the research community.

VERTIC releases old editions of Trust & Verify

Starting today, and leading up to our 25th Anniversary Conference at Wilton Park in June, VERTIC has started to scan and release back issues of Trust & Verify. We hope that the collection will not only illustrate the organisation’s rich past, but also serve as an archive for those who are interested in historical aspects of arms control, peace agreements, and the environment

New blog: The incredible Nucifer

Spain and European Union legislation added to the BWC Legislation Database

VERTIC's NIM Team has added legislation from Spain and the European Union, related to national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention, to VERTIC's BWC Legislation Database.

Trust & Verify No. 132

In this issue Acahala Chandani Abeysinghe reviews progress in the climate negotiations while John Carlson discusses the Additional Protocol. Plus the regular features.

No progress as CD breaks for first 2011 recess

Fourteen years of gridlock at the Conference on Disarmament (CD) seem set to continue, as its first session of 2011 ended last week with deliberations mostly having explored familiar territory.

Centrifuge disclosure illustrates value of Additional Protocol

The recently-disclosed existence an Iranian manufacturing facility involved in the production of centrifuge components for uranium enrichment serves as a useful illustration of the verification problems associated with the Islamic Republic’s nuclear programme. Whilst not a breach of its duties under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the revelation does not build confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iranian nuclear program and illustrates the value of the IAEA’s Additional Protocol in allaying proliferation concerns.

New blog post: Centrifuge disclosure illustrates value of Additional Protocol

Read the post here.

VERTIC participates in CWC and BWC events during 9-15 April

VERTIC NIM Programme staff participated in several CWC and BWC events during the week of 9-15 April.

Legal Cooperation to Control Non-State Nuclear Proliferation

On 4 and 5 April 2011, Andreas Persbo participated in the ‘workshop on Legal Cooperation to Control Non-State Nuclear Proliferation: Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction and UN Resolutions 1540 and 1373’. The meeting was organized by the Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainability and hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

VERTIC presents at the 2011 Space Security Conference

VERTIC was invited to participate in the 2011 ‘Space Security Conference: Building on the Past, Stepping Towards the Future’. The conference was held at the UN Office in Geneva, 4-5 April 2011. It was organized by UNIDIR and the Secure World Foundation with support from the Simons Foundation and the Governments of Canada, the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation and the United States of America.

Next steps for nuclear negotiations after New Start

On 31 March 2011, VERTIC sponsored an event on ‘next steps for nuclear negotiations after New Start’, which asked the question ‘What prospects for US-Russia talks and the entry into-force of the comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty’? The office of Senator John Kerry (D-Mass) gave the meeting a room in the US Senate Visitor Center.

Bringing the Test Ban Treaty into Law

On Monday, 28 April 2011, Andreas Persbo delivered a presentation entitled ‘Bringing the Test Ban Treaty into Law’ to about 200 delegates to the Carnegie Endowment Nuclear Policy Conference. The panel also included:

Rebecca Johnson, Acronym Institute
Vallampadugai Arunachalam, former Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of India
Timothy Morrison, Office of Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) (speaking in his personal capacity)

VERTIC participates in conference on ‘Fissile Material Treaty: Possibility and Prospects’

Larry MacFaul represented VERTIC’s ACD Programme at a conference on ‘Fissile Material Treaty: Possibility and Prospects’. The conference was organized by the South Asian Strategic Stability Institute (SASSI) and was held in Islamabad between 20-22nd March 2011.

New blog entry on Libya, CW and the Rome Statute

Scott Spence, VERTIC's Senior Legal Officer, has posted a new blog entry on Libya, CW and amendment of the Rome Statute to explicitly expand the International Criminal Court's jurisdiction to chemical and biological weapons use in international and domestic armed conflict. The blog entry is available here.

Libya, CW and the Rome Statute

Amendment of the ICC Rome Statute to explicitly expand the ICC's jurisdiction to chemical and biological use in times of international or domestic armed conflict is now more urgent than ever.

Brunei legislation added to BWC Legislation Database

VERTIC's NIM Team has added legislation from Brunei, related to national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention, to VERTIC's BWC Legislation Database.

Opening remarks to Glion workshop

On 17 February 2011, David Cliff and I travelled to Glion, Switzerland, to have VERTIC's draft report on irreversibility reviewed.

These were my opening remarks.

VERTIC releases Brief No. 14 on the Rome Statute

Kara Allen, a former VERTIC intern and Virginia Law graduate writes on amendment of the Rome Statute to explicitly include chemical and biological weapons use as war crimes.

VERTIC releases Brief No. 14

VERTIC released today Brief No. 14 'Chemical and biological weapons use in the Rome Statute: a case for change'.

Andorran and Polish legislation added to BWC Legislation Database

VERTIC's NIM Team has added legislation from Andorra and Poland, related to national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention, to VERTIC's BWC Legislation Database.

John Carlson joins VERTIC’s Advisory Network

Mr. John Carlson has joined VERTIC’s International Verification Consultants Network (the IVCN). This network advises the Executive Director on strategic issues, and has a role in reviewing all public VERTIC products. From time to time, the network also works as paid consultants to the organization.

VERTIC Executive Director participates in FFI Forum panel

On 1 February 2010, Andreas Persbo participated in a panel discussing Iran’s nuclear programme. The meeting was organized by the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI) and held in central Oslo, Norway.

Ecuador legislation added to BWC Legislation Database

VERTIC's NIM Team has added Ecuador's implementing legislation to the BWC Database.

VERTIC participates in OSCE UNSCR 1540 meeting

Rocío Escauriaza Leal, VERTIC’s Legal Officer, participated in an OSCE workshop with the aim of identifying the proper role of the OSCE in facilitating the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1540.

Irreversible nuclear disarmament

Today, we transmitted the first draft of our report on irreversible nuclear disarmament to the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs in Switzerland.

Holy See and South Africa legislation added to BWC Legislation Database

VERTIC's NIM Team has added Holy See and additional South African legislation to the BWC Legislation Database.

NIM Teams adds Holy See counter-terrorism/money laundering legislation to BWC Legislation Database

The NIM Team has added the Holy See's new counter-terrorism and anti-money laundering legislation to the BWC Legislation Database.

Wilton Park 2010

The annual Wilton Park conference on arms control and disarmament is always well attended. Those arriving late may find themselves without a chair. This happened to me this year, as I missed the first two days due to a series of meetings in London. However, I found the first meeting that I was able to attend very stimulating, despite having to stand up for parts of it. Truth be told, as I was standing close to a radiator on a cold day, I didn’t mind that much.

Director's Reflections: First Quarter 2010

Last Friday, we released edition No. 131 of Trust & Verify, and the first edition in our anniversary year. The New Year brings with it many exciting prospects and opportunities, not least for arms control and disarmament.

VERTIC hosts side event at BWC Meeting of the States Parties

The NIM team - Angela, Scott, Rocio, Samir and Yasemin - hosted a side event at the BWC MSP.

IAEA Safeguards Symposium ends

Earlier today, the eleventh Safeguards Symposium of the International Atomic Energy Agency was brought to a close by safeguards head Herman Nackaerts, who told participants that he was ‘personally delighted’ by the event’s outcome. The Symposium has succeeded in its objective to foster dialogue, Mr Nackaerts said, and strengthened his conviction that the challenges facing the Agency’s safeguards department can be met.

VERTIC releases Trust & Verify No. 131

In this issue (available here), Scott Spence discusses the role of legislation in preventing and responding to chemical terrorism, while Andreas Persbo looks at the potential for arms control confidence-building measures between India and Pakistan.