Arms control & disarmament projects

Building capacity to implement nuclear and biological weapons treaties, norms and UN Security Council Resolutions

Researchers:Andreas Persbo; Scott Spence; Rocio Escauriaza
Coordinator:Angela Woodward
Funder: UK Strategic Programme Fund; the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

VERTIC's national implementation measures (NIM) project has been developed to address the difficulties that many states, especially developing countries, face in understanding what measures are required at the national level to comply with the prohibitions in a wide range of nuclear and biological treaties, norms and UN Security Council resolutions (UNSCR), and how to implement them. While there are bilateral, multilateral and inter-governmental programmes which offer some implementation assistance, depending on the agreement, there are still substantial gaps to be filled.

VERTIC's project primarily focuses on national implementation measure obligations arising under:

• the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT),
• the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention (BWC),
• the 1980 Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material,
• the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), and
• UN Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004).

The project will primarily focus on implementing obligations relating to nuclear weapons (NW) and biological weapons (BW) obligations, but will also include relevant information on chemical weapons (CW) obligations.

Useful work in support of national implementation has been undertaken by international organisations (especially the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)) and certain states. VERTIC's project will develop guidance materials where none exist as well as collate and build on those materials prepared by others. The inclusion of materials relating to NW, BW and CW obligations is intended to aid states to review the effectiveness of their existing national measures, to consider what additional measures may be required and to assist states that may wish to develop a combined approach to national implementation obligations arising under NBC weapons treaties and UNSCR 1540.

The project's two main elements are:

• the development of training materials, including a guide to national implementation requirements under the agreements mentioned above, model national laws and/or legislative provisions, and a list of useful resources to help states find further assistance, and
• a series of seminars and two regional workshops to raise awareness of implementation obligations and approaches.

The training materials, with additional reference materials and treaty texts, will be available in print, on a CD-Rom and on a dedicated national implementation measures website to be developed by VERTIC later in 2006. These will be available to download free of charge.

This project is one of two on national implementation measures that VERTIC is undertaking in 2006. See 'Enhancing national implementation of treaties and norms prohibiting weapons of mass destruction (WMD)' for information about VERTIC's global survey of national implementing measures.

Publications and online resources

VERTIC fact sheets on national implementing measures for WMD agreements
VERTIC has published nine fact sheets developed for its project to raise states' awareness of the importance of national implementing measures for the major WMD agreements and resolutions. The first introduces VERTIC's project while the second highlights why national implementation of international agreements is important. The other fact sheets provide basic facts about, and guides to the national implementation measures that may be required, for specific treaties.

Introducing VERTIC's project on national implementing measures

Fact sheet 1
Why and what to implement? Ensuring effective national laws on nuclear, biological and chemical weapons
Fact sheet 2
National implementation measures for the 1963 Partial Test Ban Treaty (PTBT)
Fact sheet 3
National implementation measures for the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)
Fact sheet 4
National implementation measures for the 1980 Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM)
Fact sheet 5
National implementation measures for the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)
Fact sheet 6
National implementing measures for United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004)
Fact sheet 7
National implementation measures for the 1972 Convention on the Prohibition of Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction (BWC)
Fact sheet 8
National implementation measures for the 1993 Convention on the Prohibition of Development, Production and Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction (CWC)

The fact sheets may be downloaded by clicking on the above links. For print versions or for more information about the fact sheets or VERTIC's project, please contact Jane Awford, VERTIC's Information Officer and Networker, by email: rocio.escauriaza[at]vertic.org or by telephone: +44 (0) 20 7065 0880.

A model law: the Biological Weapons and Toxins Crimes Act'
By Christopher B. Harland (ICRC) and Angela Woodward (VERTIC) (published in the International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 87, No. 859, September 2005, pp. 573-586)

'National measures to implement WMD treaties and norms: the need for international standards and technical assistance'
By Angela Woodward and Andreas Persbo (Report no. 32, Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission, May 2005).

National implementation seminars and workshops in 2005 and 2006
Click on the links below to access the presentations and additional information from the following seminars and workshops that VERTIC held in 2006 as part of its national implementation measures project:

• Middle East regional workshop, Jordan, 29-30 Aug 2006 - click here
• VERTIC and FCO diplomatic seminar, London, 12 June 2006 - click here
• Gulf states regional workshop, Dubai, 2-3 May 2006 - click here
• UN Headquarters, New York, 11 April 2006 - click here

Interpol and VERTIC lunchtime seminar on 'National implementing legislation' at the 6th BWC Review Conference, Geneva
VERTIC and Interpol co-hosted a seminar on 'National implementing legislation' on 5 December 2006 as one of the side events held on the margins of the 6th BWC Review Conference. The seminar, held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, attracted an audience of about 45 members of states' delegations, civil society and other representatives.
To access the presentations, click on the links below:

Angela Woodward, Executive Director, VERTIC
Introduction to Interpol model bill 'A model law: An [Act, Statute, Ordinance, Law) to prohibit biocrimes and to promote biosafety and biosecurity'
[VERTIC contributed to the development of this model bill]

Adrian Baciu, Coordinator, Interpol Bioterrorism Prevention Program
Program overview

Scott Spence, Biocriminalization Project Manager, Interpol
The Biocriminalization Project (ICPO/Interpol)

Interpol's Model Legislation to Prohibit Biocrimes and to Promote Biosafety and Biosecurity

Global Security Newswire article highlights draft Interpol biocriminalization law created with VERTIC assistance
Global Security Newswire looked at the draft model Interpol biocriminalization law (see item above) in an article by Jon Fox, 'Interpol pushes for strong anti-bioterror laws', published on 6 December 2006. Created with VERTIC's assistance, the Interpol law would criminalize the development, production, stockpiling, transfer and financing of biological weapons. It would also establish a biological emergency response and investigation support system, a bio-specific response team. Angela Woodward, VERTIC's Deputy Director, explained in the article that the draft law brought together many of the elements and issues that need to be addressed by such legislation. Scott Spence, manager of Interpol's biocriminalization project, emphasized that 'strong laws are necessary to provide police forces with the tools to stop the development, transport and use of biological weapon by terrorist groups'.

VERTIC's Deputy Director Presentation at ICRC Regional Workshop in Hanoi
Angela Woodward, VERTIC's Deputy Director, spoke on 'The national implementation of weapons-related treaties' at an International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) regional workshop on 'International Humanitarian Law: New Treaties and Implementation - the East Asian Perspective'. The workshop was held in Hanoi, Viet Nam, 30 November - 1 December 2006

To download Angela's PowerPoint presentation, click here.

VERTIC Executive Director addresses conference on ‘Middle East WMD-free zone’
Michael Crowley, VERTIC’s Executive Director, discussed ‘Steps towards a Middle East WMD Free Zone—examining verification and national implementation measures’ at a conference on ‘The Middle East Weapons of Mass Destruction Free Zone’ on 7 November 2006. The conference was organized by the Center for International Studies and Diplomacy (CISD) at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and the British Pugwash Group.

Click here to read Michael’s presentation.

VERTIC Deputy Director presentation on national implementation of BWC at ICRC regional meeting in Argentina
(CICR - Las Armas En El Derecho Internacional Humanitario: Reunión regional de expertos: Buenos Aires, 22-23 de agosto de 2006)

Angela Woodward, VERTIC's Deputy Director, discussed the requirements for national implementation of the BWC under both the treaty and UN Security Resolution 1540 at the International Committee of the Red Cross regional meeting of experts on arms in international humanitarian law held 22-23 August 2006 in Buenos Aires, Argentina (CICR - Las Armas En El Derecho Internacional Humanitario: Reunión regional de expertos: Buenos Aires, 22-23 de agosto de 2006). She also provided an overview of the status of BWC national implementing measures in Latin America.

Click here for the presentation in English
Click here for a Spanish translation

Organization helps treaty implementation
Chris Schneidmiller’s article in the 17 February 2006 edition of Global Security Newswire provides an in-depth look at VERTIC’s national implementation measures project, based on interviews with VERTIC arms control and disarmament researchers, Angela Woodward and Andreas Persbo. It includes commentary by Richard Guthrie, chemical and biological warfare project leader for the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute and Termsak Chalermpalanupap, Special Assistant to the Secretary General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (access article)

VERTIC seminar, Geneva, Switzerland, 9 December 2005
This event was held during the BWC 2005 Meeting of States Parties. Centre staff presented the project to conference participants and outlined some of the conclusions of a seminar to evaluate the project's training materials and activities, held in London on 29 November 2005. They were joined by Mr Adrian Baciu of Interpol.

Angela Woodward, VERTIC's guide to national implementation measures for the BWC (download slides)

Andreas Persbo, Adopting appropriate and effective national measures: technical assistance (download slides)

Adrian Baciu, Technical assistance and training for law enforcement
(download slides)