11. Chemical and biological weapon developments and arms control

Summary

The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) entered
into force on 29 April 1997. Progress in the negotiations on
a verification protocol to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention
(BTWC) was modest. Despite efforts to establish or strengthen
disarmament regimes for chemical and biological weapons, concerns
about their proliferation or use increased through the year.
Cuba formally accused the United States of waging biological
warfare and initiated a procedure to investigate this type of
allegation - the first time this has occurred since the BTWC
entered into force in 1975. Measures to counter proliferation
increased in Western countries. In Iraq, the crisis between the
United Nations Special Commission on Iraq (UNSCOM) and Baghdad
escalated to the point that military intervention became a serious
possibility.

Appendix 11A. Entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention

ROBERT J. MATHEWS

Appendix 11A presents the developments of 1997 after
entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention.