GERM WARFARE Britain Accepts U.S. Amendment

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32352, 18 July 1970, Page 13

GERM WARFARE Britain Accepts U.S. Amendment

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) GENEVA, July 17. Britain today accepted a United States amendment specifically including toxins in the British draft convention dealing with the outlaw of germ weapons now before the Geneva Disarmament Conference of 24 nations.

Toxins are poisonous chemical substances produced by biological organisms, including microbes, animals, and plants. They include diphtheria

toxin, tetanus toxin, puffei fish poison, and snake and bee venom, and their inclusion in the British draft dealing with biological weapons was first proposed by Sweden in April and after Italy had also en dorsed the proposal that the United States tabled, in an amendment, on June 30. Yesterday, the British delegate (Mr Ivan Porter) said Britain considered that pro hibition of her draft would in effect, extend the produc tion of toxins as weapons of war, but that she had always been ready to consider favourably any amendment which brought them more precisely within the scope of the convention. The American amendment seemed to do what was required, though some editorial changes of wording might prove necessary, Mr Portei said. The United States and her N.A.T.O. allies have urged the conference repeatedly, this year to adopt speedily the British draft banning biological weapons only, before moving on to the more complicated task of outlawing chemical weapons which, they say, present far greater verification problems. But the Soviet Union and her allies, supported by most of the non-aligned countries taking part in the conference, have insisted on banning both germs and gases simultane ously. in one composite agreement.