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Chemical Weapons: Destruction and Conversion

In June 1979 SIPRI organized an international symposium on resolving the numerous problems connected with the destruction or conversion of chemical weapons and the need for a convention prohibiting the possession of these weapons. Thirty experts from 14 countries discussed the destruction and conversion of stockpiles of chemical warfare agents and munitions, the destruction and conversion of chemical warfare research and development facilities, verification of compliance and confidence-building measures facilitating verification, and the environmental and occupational health hazards involved in maintaining and disposing of stockpiles of chemical warfare agents and munitions. This book presents the papers delivered at the symposium, summarizes the deliberations and assesses the problem.

Table of contents

Part I

Introduction

 

Part II

Chemical warfare capabilities of the Warsaw and North Atlantic Treaty Organizations: An overview from open sources, J. P. Perry Robinson

Destruction of US chemical weapons production and filling facilities, R. Mikulak

Destruction or conversion of chemical warfare agents: Possibilities and alternatives, Kh. Lohs

Lessons learned from the destruction of the chemical weapons of the Japanese Imperial Forces, H. Kurata

Some toxicological problems in the destruction of chemical warfare agents, V. Vojvodic and Z. Binenfeld

Biomedical aspects of the destruction and conversion of chemical warfare agents, L. Rosival

Long-term effects of acute exposure to nerve gases upon human health, B. Boškovic and R. Kušic;

Some aspects of the problem of the destruction of chemical warfare agents, O. A. Reutov and K. K. Babievsky

Verification of the destruction of stockpiles of chemical weapons, A. J. J. Ooms

Verification problems—monitoring of conversion and destruction of chemical-warfare agent plant, R. E. Roberts

Confidence-building measures and a chemical weapons convention, S. J. Lundin

Assessment

 

Part III

Status of US-Soviet negotiations for a chemical weapons convention, J. Goldblat

 

Appendices

Appendix 1. Joint USSR–United States report on progress in the bilateral negotiations on the prohibition of chemical weapons

Appendix 2. Compilation of material on chemical warfare from the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament and the Committee on Disarmament working papers and statements, 1972–1979 (prepared by the Secretariat at the request of the Committee on Disarmament)

Appendix 3. Parties to the Convention on the prohibition of the development, production and stockpiling of bacteriological (biological) and toxin weapons and on their destruction

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