SIGN THIS?!?!?!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/1456088.stm
The United States has refused to sign up to an international agreement designed to enforce a ban on the use of biological weapons.
Washington's representative to the United Nations-sponsored talks in Geneva said the US was unable to support the draft accord - the result of years of debate - because it would not achieve its goals and would hurt American interests.
Donald Mahley said: "In our assessment, the draft protocol would put national security and confidential business information at risk."
The unilateral move is likely to further antagonise Washington's European allies, who have already criticised the US for rejecting initiatives on climate change and the trade in small arms.
The germ warfare agreement aims to introduce measures to enforce the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention by the end of this year.
Unlike other multilateral arms accords, the biological weapons ban currently contains no mechanism to ensure compliance.
While reaffirming its commitment to combating the spread of biological weapons, the US said the measures outlined in the draft would not achieve that goal.
It said it planned to make alternative proposals, but did not specify when.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/1456088.stm
The United States has refused to sign up to an international agreement designed to enforce a ban on the use of biological weapons.
Washington's representative to the United Nations-sponsored talks in Geneva said the US was unable to support the draft accord - the result of years of debate - because it would not achieve its goals and would hurt American interests.
Donald Mahley said: "In our assessment, the draft protocol would put national security and confidential business information at risk."
The unilateral move is likely to further antagonise Washington's European allies, who have already criticised the US for rejecting initiatives on climate change and the trade in small arms.
The germ warfare agreement aims to introduce measures to enforce the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention by the end of this year.
Unlike other multilateral arms accords, the biological weapons ban currently contains no mechanism to ensure compliance.
While reaffirming its commitment to combating the spread of biological weapons, the US said the measures outlined in the draft would not achieve that goal.
It said it planned to make alternative proposals, but did not specify when.
