50 years later: Russia warns of threat returning to the forefront

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned of military-biological activities by countries outside their borders, 50 years after the Biological Weapons Convention entered into force. Lavrov cautioned against the misuse of biological technology by terrorist organizations and called for strict adherence to international oversight mechanisms.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned of military-biological activities allegedly carried out by certain countries outside their borders, under the pretext of civilian cooperation. The remarks were made in a recorded address to participants of a seminar on the national implementation of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, 50 years after it entered into force in 1975. Lavrov pointed to several factors increasing the risk of biological threats: the cross-border nature of these threats, the potential for misuse of advanced biological technologies, and concerns over the use of biological agents and toxins for warfare or terrorism. He emphasized that addressing the biological threat cannot be limited to preventing the development of biological weapons but must also account for rapid changes in the biotechnology world. His remarks were part of a discussion on implementing states' obligations under the convention.