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US puts a spanner in global ban on bio-weapons

Even after being a victim of bio-terrorism with close to 20 reported anthrax infections all across the United States, US officials on Friday night at the 144-nation conference on germ warfare in Geneva put a spanner in the efforts for a global ban on biological weapons.

The conference was left in shambles after shocked delegates watched helplessly the US officials stubbornly resist the inspection system proposed in the 210-page draft declaration.

US officials at the conference contended that the inspection system would expose the country's biological weapons secrets to other nations.

The last-minute move by the US delegation forced the chairman of the conference, Hungarian diplomat Tibor Toth, to suspend the conference for a year.

Toth hoped the suspension might allow the US to contemplate the significance of the recent anthrax attacks on the country.

He added that by November next year, when the conference resumes, the US might have changed its position.

The last-minute move in the closed-door negotiating session took everyone by surprise, even close allies who had been consulting with the United States, said diplomats.

Indian ambassador Rakesh Sood said, "It left everybody shocked and stunned."

Expressing displeasure at the sudden US move to oppose the inspection system proposed in the draft declaration the 15-nation European Union issued a statement saying it 'deeply regretted' the US stand.

"In view of the special situation resulting from the terror attacks of September 11 and the anthrax attacks the European Union entered the work of the conference with pragmatism and realism," the statement said.

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