Synthetic Biology Considerations in Synthetic Biology Considerations in Synthetic Biology Considerations in Implementation of Security Council Resolution 1540 Implementation of Security Council Resolution 1540 Implementation of Security Council Resolution 1540 Dana Perkins, PhD Dana Perkins, PhD 1540 Committee Expert 1540 Committee Expert Applications for and Security Aspects of Synthetic Biology, Applications for and Security Aspects of Synthetic Biology, 7- -8 March, 2013, Hong Kong 8 March, 2013, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the Special Administrative Region of the 7 People's Republic of China People's Republic of China
Synthetic Biology Risks Synthetic Biology Risks “…By reducing the time to go from concept to application, synthetic biology has the potential to complicate interdiction efforts. complicate interdiction efforts boundaries between defensive and The boundaries between defensive and offensive research and development may offensive research and development may also be further blurred by a generic capacity also be further blurred to model, design, create, and optimize biological technology, and the exact motives are hard to pinpoint. Traditionally, there are also connections between state weapons programs and terrorist capabilities, and the possibility of non the possibility of non- -state state actors acquiring weapons from a state actors acquiring weapons from a state cannot be ruled out…” cannot be ruled out
Synthetic Biology Challenges Synthetic Biology Challenges “… The ability to synthesize bioagents as well as possibilities offered by nanotechnology to facilitate the development of effective bioweapons complicate existing non- - further complicate existing non proliferation and export control proliferation and export control efforts intended to constrain access to, and efforts proliferation of, dangerous pathogens and relevant dual-use technologies. The implications of advances in bio- and nanotechnology for the development of new weapons as well as the consequences of the ability to engineer bioweapons as desired could challenge to current pose a singular challenge to current arms control norms & arms control norms & instruments …” instruments
Resolution 1540 (2004): A Response to Threats Resolution 1540 (2004): A Response to Threats to International Peace and Security to International Peace and Security Action with Respect to Threats To the Peace, Action with Respect to Threats To the Peace, Adopted by the Security Council on 28 April � Breaches of the Peace, and Acts of Breaches of the Peace, and Acts of Aggression Aggression 2004 under Chapter VII of the UN Charter -51 51 which affirms that the proliferation of nuclear, Article 39 Article 39 UN Charter, Chapter VII, Articles 39- UN Charter, Chapter VII, Articles 39 The Security Council shall The Security Council shall chemical and biological biological weapons and determine the existence of any determine the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the threat to the peace, breach of the their means of delivery constitutes a threat to peace, or act of aggression and peace, or act of aggression and shall make recommendations, or shall make recommendations, or i n t e r n a t i o n a l p e a c e a n d s e c u r i t y decide what measures shall be decide what measures shall be taken… … to maintain or restore taken international peace and security. Obliges States, inter alia , to refrain from � Article 41 Article 41 supporting by any means non non- -State State The Security Council may decide what measures not involving the use of armed force are to be actors from developing, acquiring, actors employed to give effect to its decisions, and it may call upon it may call upon manufacturing, possessing, transporting, the Members of the United Nations the Members of the United Nations to apply such measures… to apply such measures transferring or using nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and their delivery systems
Resolution 1540 (2004)- - Highlights Highlights Resolution 1540 (2004) � National legislation on prohibitions (OP.1 & 2) � Domestic controls and enforcement (OP. 3a & 3b) o Accounting for, securing, physical protection o Border controls o Export and trans-shipment controls � Assistance (OP. 7) � Promotion & implementation of multilateral treaties (OP. 8) � Promotion of dialogue & cooperation (OP. 9 & 10) � Reporting (OP. 4) OP = Operative Paragraph of Resolution 1540 (2004)
The 1540 Committee The 1540 Committee The 1540 Committee The Committee established pursuant to para. 4 of res. 1540 (2004) is known as � the 1540 Committee 1540 Committee the The 1540 Committee is a subsidiary body of the Security Council � Chair: ROK; Vice Vice- -Chairs: Chairs: Azerbaijan, Luxembourg, & UK; Members: Members: Argentina, Chair: � � Azerbaijan, Australia, China, France, Guatemala, Luxembourg, Morocco, Pakistan, ROK, Russia, Rwanda, Togo, UK, & US Group of Experts was established per resolutions 1977 (2011) The current Group of Experts � and 2055 (2012) “ “to assist the Committee in carrying out its mandate to assist the Committee in carrying out its mandate…” …” Ambassador Kim Sook The 54th formal meeting of the 1540 Committee, 1540 Committee Chairman 20 February 2013
The 1540 Committee and its Experts 1540 Committee and its Experts The • Tools: • Tools: • Receive and examine reports • Receive and examine reports o National matrices monitor to monitor to o Template for assistance implementation implementation requests o 1540 Committee website • Promote greater awareness • Promote greater awareness • Ways and Means: • Ways and Means: of UNSCR 1540, including by of UNSCR 1540, including by o Cooperation with other outreach and dialogue outreach and dialogue organizations with Member States with Member States o Outreach events o Country visits • Facilitate capacity Facilitate capacity • building and building and assistance by providing a assistance by providing a “clearing house clearing house” ” function function “ http://www.un.org/sc/1540 http://www.un.org/sc/1540
Resolution 1540 (2004): Binding Resolution 1540 (2004): Binding Obligations on All UN Member States Obligations on All UN Member States Resolution 1540 (2004) imposes binding obligations on all States to adopt legislation to prevent the proliferation of biological weapons , and their nuclear, chemical and biological weapons establish appropriate means of delivery, and establish appropriate domestic controls over related materials to domestic controls over related materials prevent their illicit trafficking. It also encourages enhanced i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o o p e r a t i o n o n s u c h e f f o r t s . i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o o p e r a t i o n Security Council Meets on Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction UN Photo / Eskinder Debebe, 28 April 2004
Definitions for the purpose of Definitions for the purpose of resolution 1540 (2004) resolution 1540 (2004) • Means of delivery: Means of delivery: missiles, rockets and other • unmanned systems capable of delivering nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons, that are specially designed for such use. • Non Non- -State actor: State actor: individual or entity, not acting under the • lawful authority of any State in conducting activities which come within the scope of this resolution. • Related materials: Related materials: materials, equipment and technology • covered by relevant multilateral treaties and relevant multilateral treaties and covered by arrangements, or included on national control arrangements, or included on national control lists , which could be used for the design, development, lists production or use of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and their means of delivery
Biological agents under the BWC and Biological agents under the BWC and resolution 1540 (2004) resolution 1540 (2004) • Almost any disease Almost any disease- -causing organism causing organism (such as bacteria, • (such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, prions or rickettsiae) or toxin (poisons derived from animals, from animals, viruses, fungi, prions or rickettsiae) or toxin (poisons derived plants or microorganisms, or similar substances synthetically produced) can oduced) can plants or microorganisms, or similar substances synthetically pr be used in biological weapons” ” - - Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) – – be used in biological weapons Article I of the BWC , which forbids states parties As implied in Article I of the BWC • • As implied in , which forbids states parties to develop, produce, stockpile, or otherwise acquire or retain to develop, produce, stockpile, or otherwise acquire or retain “ microbial or other biological agents, or toxins whatever their o microbial or other biological agents, or toxins whatever their origin or rigin or “ , the treaty the treaty method of production, of types and in purposes” ”, method of production, of types and in purposes applies to biological agents and toxins that are applies to biological agents and toxins that are synthetically produced or modified synthetically produced or modified • Similarly, such biological agents and toxins fall under the definition of nition of • Similarly, such biological agents and toxins fall under the defi related materials ” resolution 1540 “ related materials for the purpose of resolution 1540 “ ” for the purpose of
Recommend
More recommend
