Cablegate: Portugal Against Proposed Amendment to Biological

VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLI #0888 0990656
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 090656Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY LISBON
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5742

UNCLAS LISBON 000888

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/PRA, EUR/WE, ISN/CB

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MCAP PARM PO
SUBJECT: PORTUGAL AGAINST PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO BIOLOGICAL
WEAPONS CONVENTION

1. (U) On April 2, Embassy Lisbon received a diplomatic note
from the Portuguese Foreign Ministry, which outlined its
thoughts about a proposed amendment to the biological weapons
convention. An informal translation of the text follows and
the original was faxed to EUR/PRA on April 5.

2. (U) Begin informal translation:

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs present its highest
compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America in
its capacity as one of the Signatory States of the Convention
on the Prohibition of Production and Development and Storage
of Biological and Toxic Weapons and their Destruction
ratified in London, Moscow, and Washington D.C. on April 10,
1972.

The Sixth Conference to revise the above-mentioned Convention
made note of a proposal to amend Article 1 of the Convention
and its title. The amendment was introduced by the Islamic
Republic of Iran in August 2006 with the purpose of including
the term "use" in Article 1 and encouraging member-states to
present their thoughts on the matter. The Islamic Republic of
Iran presented this proposal for the first time in 1996.

Portugal does not support the amendment to the Convention
under consideration because it believes it unnecessary.
Portugal reaffirms its commitment to the Final Declaration of
the Sixth Examination Conference that, "The use, by
member-states, whatever the form or circumstances, of
microbiological agents, biologic or toxic, that are not
consistent with the designed safeguards or preventative
measures amount to a violation under Article 1."

Complimentary closing.

End Translation
O'Neal

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