Adequacy Versus Feasibility in the Scope of the Projected Chemical Weapons Convention

Abstract

The treaty to ban chemical-warfare weapons, namely the projected Chemical Weapons Convention being sought in Geneva at the 40-nation Conference on Disarmament, is now in the decisive phase of negotiation. An important consequence is that interest-groups liable to be disaffected by the treaty are becoming increasingly active in a number of countries. Public expressions of outright opposition to the treaty are still rare, but more subtle forms of antagonism are evident. One of their effects is to impose continual pressure on the scope of the projected treaty during its development by the negotiators, squeezing or otherwise distorting the comprehensiveness which the participating governments have declared as their aim. Friends of the Chemical Weapons Convention therefore need to muster safeguards of some sort in order to ensure that the treaty does not thereby become emasculated - recognizing, however, that the support of at least some affected interests is necessary for the successful conclusion of the treaty.