Fifth Review Conference of the Biological Weapons Convention

"The United States is very pleased by the outcome here today. We believe that the decision that has just been adopted unanimously by the conference represents a constructive and realistic work program for the States Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention over the next three years. The problem of biological weapons is of great concern to all of humanity. There are those who say this forum should have agreed to a more expansive work program. We appreciate that concern. But it is the view of the United States that the problem of biological weapons is sufficiently grave that we cannot restrict our activities to this single forum. Our efforts to combat the threat of biological weapons have to be pressed on multiple fronts at the national level, at the plurilateral level, and at the multilateral level. There are many other efforts that we believe can be pursued with greater success in other venues and it is the policy of the United States to pursue the problem of biological weapons in all appropriate venues to the maximum degree practicable. We believe the decision today at this Review Conference represents a realistic judgement about what can successfully be achieved in this forum over the next several years."