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.
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