The HSP Draft Convention

Introduction      Text      Status      Implementation      Further Information

Translations, Briefing Papers and Legal Commentary

Draft Convention - English

Draft Convention - Arabic

Draft Convention - Chinese

Draft Convention - French

Draft Convention - Spanish

Draft Convention - Russian

Briefing Paper 1 - Why is International Criminalization of BCW needed?

Briefing Paper 2 - How does the Draft Convention complement existing initiatives?

Briefing Paper 3 - How does the Draft Convention relate to Counter-Terrorism?

Draft Legal Commentary to the Draft Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Developing, Producing, Acquiring, Stockpiling, Retaining, Transferring, or Using Biological or Chemical Weapons

HSP Papers

Catherine Jefferson, 'International CBW Criminalization: The Harvard Sussex Draft Convention', 5-6 December 2009, paper presented for 30th Workshop of the Pugwash Study Group on the Implementation of the Chemical and Biological Weapons Conventions: Preparing for the Seventh BWC Review Conference Geneva, Switzerland.

Catherine Jefferson, ‘The Harvard Sussex Draft Convention as a complement to Resolution 1540’, paper prepared for the Stanley Foundation Civil Society Event, Resolution 1540: At the crossroads, 1 October 2009, UN Headquarters, New York, USA.

Resource Guide for the CWC Second Review Conference 2008, March 2008 (written and compiled by Daniel Feakes and Caitríona McLeish)

Caitríona McLeish and Paul Nightingale, ‘Biosecurity, bioterrorism and the governance of science: The increasing convergence of science and security policy’, Research Policy, vol. 36, (2007), pp. 1635-1654.

Briefing Book for the BWC Sixth Review Conference 2006, November 2006 (written and complied by Caitríona McLeish and Daniel Feakes and produced in collaboration with VERTIC and BASIC).

Caitríona McLeish and Paul Nightingale, ‘Biosecurity and the Governance of Science’, paper prepared for the SPRU 40th Anniversary Conference, The future of science, technology and innovation policy: linking research and practice, 11-13 September 2006, University of Sussex, United Kingdom.

Matthew Meselson and Julian Robinson, ‘A draft Convention to Prohibit Biological and Chemical Weapons under International Criminal Law’, The Fletcher Forum of World Affairs, vol. 28, no. 1 (Winter 2004), pp. 57-71.

Caitríona McLeish, ‘Global governance of CBW: criminalization and its impact on state and non-state actors’, paper prepared for the ISA/CEEISA Conference, Global Tensions and Their Challenges to Governance of the International Community, 26-28 June 2003, Budapest, Hungary.

Matthew Meselson, ‘International Criminalization of Chemical and Biological Weapons’, in Bulletin of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (Winter 2001).

Matthew Meselson and Julian Robinson, ‘CBW Criminalization and Universal Jurisdiction’, OPCW Synthesis (December 2001).

Matthew Meselson, ‘Averting the Hostile Exploitation of Biotechnology’, The CBW Conventions Bulletin, no. 48 (June 2000), pp. 16-19.

Matthew Meselson, ‘International Criminalization of Biological Weapons’, Science for Peace Series, Inauguration of the UNESCO International School of Science for Peace, First forum of the International Scientific Panel on possible consequences of the misuse of biological sciences, Landau Network, Centro Volta, 1999, pp. 73-90.

Presentations

Catherine Jefferson, 'International CBW Criminalization: The Harvard Sussex Draft Convention', 5-6 December 2009, powerpoint presented for 30th Workshop of the Pugwash Study Group on the Implementation of the Chemical and Biological Weapons Conventions: Preparing for the Seventh BWC Review Conference Geneva, Switzerland.

Catherine Jefferson, ‘Chemical and Biological Threats: The Relevance of a Universal Criminalization Convention to 1540 Implementation’, PowerPoint Presentation to the Stanley Foundation Civil Society Event, Resolution 1540: At the crossroads, 1 October 2009, UN Headquarters, New York, USA.

Daniel Feakes, ‘Adding to Traditional Arms Control Treaties: Identifying Substantive and Procedural Hurdles and Opportunities’, PowerPoint Presentation to the Framework Convention for Biochemical Controls Workshop, 19 September 2008, University of Bath, United Kingdom.

Graham Pearson, statement to Meeting of Experts of the Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction, 20 August 2007, Geneva, Switzerland.

Articles Supporting Criminilization Idea

Alexander Kelle, 'Ensuring the security of synthetic biology - towards a 5P governance strategy', Systems and Synthetic Biology, December 2009, Vol 3 pp 85-90.

Paul Tinder, ‘Researcher says ICC needs stronger biological, chemical weapons provisions’, BioPrepWatch, 13 November 2009.

Malcolm Dando, ‘Bringing increased biological and chemical weapons provisions to the ICC’, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 11 November 2009.

Marlies Glasius, ‘Criminalise WMD’, openDemocracy, 3 September 2009.

Ambassador Jayantha Dhanapala, ‘The United Nations and Regime Compliance: Prospects and Challenges’, CNS-MIIS Briefing Series, 8 February 2008.

Thomas Graham Jr., 'Biological Weapons and International Law', Science, vol. 295 (March 2002), p. 2325 (in Editorial).

David Dickson, 'Individuals face weapons work indictment', Nature, vol. 391 (February 1998), p. 831.

International Documents

Biological Weapons Convention

Chemical Weapons Convention

EU Strategy against Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction

Proliferation Security Initiative: Statement of Interdiction Principles

Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court

United Nations General Assembly work of the Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004)

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1810 (2008)

Official Statements

UK House of Commons, Foreign Affairs Committee, Fourth Report of Session 2008-09, Global Security: Non-Proliferation, Papers (Session 2008-09) HC 222, published 14 June 2009, page 10, para 31.

UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Strengthening the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention: Countering the Threat from Biological Weapons, April 2002, CM 5484.

Statement of Ambassador Christian Faessler Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the Conference on Disarmament to the 5th Review Conference of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction. (Geneva, 19 November - 7 December 2001).