On December 1 – 5, 2014 the annual Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction (BWC) is taking place in Geneva.

Representatives of States Parties to the Convention, relevant international institutions and NGOs take part in the event.

Delegates are discussing ways to further strengthen the BWC, deepen international cooperation, including in the context of providing technical assistance to States Parties to the Convention to identify and combat threats of pandemic nature and use the results of biological research for peaceful purposes.

In his speech, the Head of the Delegation of Ukraine, Permanent Representative in Geneva Y.Klymenko underlined the important role of the Convention in the process of disarmament and non-proliferation of biological weapons. He spoke in favor of universalization of the Convention, improving confidence-building measures, enhancing monitoring and evaluation of research and biotechnology, and called on the international community to continue cooperation to ensure the comprehensive nature of the BWC regime. The Permanent Representative drew attention to the destructive actions of the Russian Federation on the deterioration of our country’s bio-safety as a result of the illegal occupation and annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, which has led to loss of control by the Ukrainian side over the Crimean Anti-Plague Station of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.

In addition, the delegation of Ukraine, together with the Scientific Research Center for Disarmament of the Bradford University (United Kingdom) carried out the side-event on the issues of bio-safety and bio-security, which was commended by the participants of this year's Meeting.