Biological Weapons Convention Confidence: the prohibition and learning from the past

The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) seeks to completely exclude the possibility that biological agents and toxins will be used as weapons. In recent years many states parties to the convention have expressed 
unease about its accomplishments since 2001 and its future direction.
It is the contention of this paper, according to the authors, that it is vital to revisit how confidence in the convention can be strengthened.

The authors offer a number of conclusions including:

• Although the challenge of moving beyond entrenched positions and the danger of reinforcing defensive routines are considerable, recent developments in arms control and disarmament more broadly suggest grounds for optimism. 
   
• In recent years a number of attempts have been made to devise forums that provide opportunities for non-traditional forms of interaction between officials and civil society