Pakistan has succeeded in bringing the international community at a common platform to develop consensus on the contentions issue of biological weapons, Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Masood Khan said. This is a new peak in multilateral diplomacy. We do not have an empty and cosmetic consensus. We have win-win result for all, he told the reporters in Geneva where he announced the successful outcome of the conference on Biological Weapons. About 155 states, parties to the Biological Convention, met in Geneva for the last three weeks under Pakistan's presidency, and unanimously agreed against the use of biological weapons and expressed their resolve not to acquire them under any circumstances. The conference was inaugurated by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. The success became possible under Pakistan's presidency after a lapse of 10 years. The last review conference of the BWC in 2001 and 2002 had collapsed in the wake of bickering and hostility. At the beginning of the conference, observers were skeptical if the conference would succeed given the world leaders inability to reach at consensus in terms of security and disarmament at the UN Summit in 2005. Enumerating concrete steps by the review conference, Ambassador Khan said the international community's hands had been strengthened to monitor all scientific and technological developments to unsure that they were used only for peaceful purposes. The review conference also set up a small secretariat to help states implement the convention, taken decisions to strengthen national mechanisms for disease surveillance and response in real time, and agreed on measures to build confidence among states. Ambassador Khan said the conference opened new avenues for international corporation in the fields of the life sciences and biotechnology. In the national context, he emphasized the need for bio-security and bio-safety. The successful outcome also represents major breakthrough in multilateral diplomat as it follows the failure of the 2005 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference; the absence of any recommendation on no-proliferation and disarmament from the UN Summit last year; and the breakdown of the Small Arms Review Conference this year. At the concluding session, many delegates paid tributes to the skillful management and effective leadership provided by Ambassador Masood Khan before and during the BWC Review Conference. The Conference marked a major international effort to address concerns arising from the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The leadership provided by Pakistan reflects its strong commitment to the international resolve to enhance international peace and security through disarmament. The successful outcome of the Conference is also indicative of Pakistan's contribution to evolve international consensus on disarmament and non-proliferation issues
