HOLY SEE ACCEDES TO CONVENTION AGAINST BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 23, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy See has acceded to the "Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction," which was adopted by the General Assembly of the United nations on December 16, 1971, and entered into force on March 26, 1975.

On January 4, 2002, Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, apostolic nuncio in the United States, deposited the instruments of accession with the competent authorities of the United States government.
"The Holy See ... wishes to encourage the whole international community resolutely to pursue the paths leading to a system of disarmament of weapons of mass destruction, as part of the process of global and complete disarmament.

"The tragic events of September 11, 2001, have led to a clearer and more widespread awareness of the need to build a culture of multilateral dialogue and a climate of trust between all the members of the human family. At this particular point in history, instruments of cooperation and prevention constitute one of the most effective safeguards in the face of heinous acts such as the use of biological weapons capable of indiscriminately striking at innocent civilian populations."

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