nd th The Hague International Model United Nations Qatar 2019| 22 –​ 25 of​ January 2019 ​ ​ ​ ​

Forum: First General Assembly

Issue: Prohibition of the development and manufacture of new types of weapons of mass destruction

Student Officer: Salma Hassanain

Position: Deputy Chair

Introduction

Whether it is through threats of terrorist organizations, enemy nations, or even national governments, our world has become one in which peace and security are no longer guaranteed. Since the tragic Ypres bombing of World War I where 1.3 million people were injured or killed, weapons of mass destruction have played large roles in warfare. Such weapons have the capability to wipe out entire villages, or in the case of nuclear weapons, entire cities - they may even render said cities uninhabitable for several years. Nuclear weapons are the most powerful types of weapons of mass destruction, and the use of one of these could cause a “Nuclear Winter”, followed by human extinction.

The elimination of weapons of mass destruction was one of the founding principles of the United Nations; the first resolution adopted by the General Assembly pertained to this issue. Currently, there are countless stockpiles of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons of mass destruction sitting unused, waiting for a war to brew so they can see the light of day. Not only this, but some nations are just beginning to build WMD stockpiles of their own. With the ongoing and rapid technological advancements globally, there is no doubt that weapons of mass destruction can be made more and more powerful, resulting in potentially catastrophic outcomes. If immediate action is not taken to solve this issue, we may find ourselves quickly thrown into World War III.

The United States, Russia, and North Korea are the nations which currently house the biggest WMD stockpiles. For example, North Korea is capable of holding a staggering 12,000 tons of chemical weapons. However, these nations have many differences, so reaching a mutual agreement cannot be foreseen in the near future. To take steps towards complete elimination of these weapons, and complete demilitarization, it is important to first halt the development and manufacture of weapons of mass destruction. This can be done in many ways, including tightened border control, increased observation of imports and exports, and increasing the price of WMD parts. After this, the current stocks of weaponry may be dealt with.

Research Report | Page 1 of 18 ​ ​

nd th The Hague International Model United Nations Qatar 2019| 22 –​ 25 of​ January 2019 ​ ​ ​ ​

Definition of Key Terms

Weapon

An instrument used for either harmful or destructive purposes. For example, a knife or a gun are the simplest forms. More complex types include nuclear weapons and military weapons such as tanks. In this matter, nuclear weapons can cause mass destruction, not only to lives but also to infrastructure.

Mass destruction

A large number of losses (death, injury or destruction of man-made structures), especially caused by biological, chemical or nuclear weapons.

Weapon of mass destruction (WMD)

WMDs are weapons that are capable of bringing large destruction to areas. When used, WMDs cause man-made structures to be destroyed, while also causing a large number of deaths and injuries. These weapons are usually biological, chemical, or nuclear.

Biological weapon

A biological weapon is a substance that produces diseases which can be used as a weapon against humans or animals. For example, viruses such as Ebola can be used as a biological weapon.

Dual-Use

These are products or technologies that can be utilized in a civilian environment, but can also be used as a weapon in military or warfare applications. One such example is riot control agents: although these are most frequently used for non-harmful purposes such as separating large crowds during protests, they are sometimes used in warfare as a chemical weapon of mass destruction.

Nuclear Proliferation

The spread of nuclear weapons to a country which does not possess them (i.e. a non-nuclear-weapon state, as defined by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear weapons). The NPT seeks to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons of mass destruction.

Page 2 of 18 | Research Report ​ nd th The Hague International Model United Nations Qatar 2019| 22 –​ 25 of​ January 2019 ​ ​ ​ ​

Disarmament

The decrease or eradication of weapons. Disarmament may pertain to a specific category of weaponry; for example, the term nuclear disarmament means decreasing or eradicating a country’s entire nuclear arsenal.

Background Information

Types of weapons of mass destruction

Biological Weapons

The first known use of biological weapons dates back to 300BC when dead animals were placed in wells to contaminate enemies’ drinking water, and in 400BC when Scythian archers infected their arrows by dipping them in decomposing bodies or manure in order to use against enemy forces. Over 2000 years later, there are now lethal microorganisms such as the Ebola or Smallpox viruses that can have devastating effects, primarily causing a large numbers of deaths, if used as weapons. An example of modern day use of biological weapons could be seen in 2001 when members of US congress and media outlets received letters laced with anthrax spores; 22 people were infected, and 5 of these died. It is thought that the use of biological weapons could eliminate up to a fifth of the world’s population if these weapons are able to spread lethal diseases like the Zika virus, Ebola or the Plague.

There are four main types of biological weapons that can be used in warfare: bacteria, viruses, fungi and toxins. Toxins are the most lethal form of biological weapons, and as such, tend to be used more often. There are several different ways to administer biological weapons. For the intention of causing mass casualties, the most common methods are through the air using aerosol sprays, usage in explosives, and contaminating food or water with the infectious substance.

The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) was the first multilateral treaty to ban the development, stockpiling and production of biological weapons. It was opened for signature in 1972, entered into force in 1975, and now has the support of 182 member states. To ensure that the BWC is effective in reaching its goal, several review conferences have been held, with the most recent one held in Geneva in 2011.

Research Report | Page 3 of 18 ​ ​

nd th The Hague International Model United Nations Qatar 2019| 22 –​ 25 of​ January 2019 ​ ​ ​ ​

Although there are many nations party to the BWC, several of these nations have been suspected of continuing their biological weapons programs, contrary to the rules of the treaty. One such example of this is in Russia; major elements of its biological weapons program include anti-crop biological weapons, new neurotoxin weapons, and genetically engineered viruses. Given the power of such weapons, it is important that they do not fall into the wrong hands. In 2004, US officials warned Russia that its biological materials were not being kept secure, and that they were at risk of being stolen and possibly used by terrorist organisations, especially given the difficulty of detecting and tracking biological weapons. In response to this, the Russian government tightened export and border control to ensure that there would be no illegal trafficking of biological weapons. In addition, several organizations and foreign governments have sought recruitment of Russian scientists in order to further their biological weapons programs; examples include Al-Qaeda and Iran. If it were successful, this would have a detrimental effect on Russia as there would be biological weapons proliferation, and the nation would suffer from brain drain.

Since 1969 when President Nixon halted the US biological weapons program, the nation has been closely observing the programs of other nations (for example, Russia, as mentioned above). Recently, the Russian government has refused to provide evidence that it has discontinued any activities that go against the BWC, which has caused tensions to rise between Russia and the US. Similarly, although it has not been confirmed, North Korea has been reported to be in possession of several biological agents, such as anthrax and smallpox. A 2015 US report has shown that North Korea is willing to use biological weapons if needed, despite being a party to the BWC; this has also caused some tensions between North Korea and the US.

In recent years, there have been rapid advances in synthetic biology, a field which aims to create new biological systems and machines, in order to further biological research and industry. One of two methods can be used: editing the DNA of existing cells, or creating new biological molecules. This new dual-use technology has great potential to be misused in warfare, as it gives scientists the opportunity to not only create new and powerful biological weapons of mass destruction, but to modify genes of dangerous diseases and make them untreatable. According to the US Intelligence Agency, such technology poses a great global threat not only due to its power, but also due to its low cost and ease of use. As such, it is vital that this threat is monitored and controlled by the UN.

Page 4 of 18 | Research Report ​ nd th The Hague International Model United Nations Qatar 2019| 22 –​ 25 of​ January 2019 ​ ​ ​ ​

Chemical Weapons

A chemical weapon is a toxic chemical used to kill or cause harm to humans, animals, and general living organisms. There are several different types of chemical agents that can be used in chemical weapons. The least severe form of these are riot control agents, which are used to temporarily harm people by causing irritation to their eyes or throat, mainly for domestic law enforcement purposes, yet are sometimes used as ammunition in wars and conflicts. On the other end of the spectrum, there are highly toxic nerve agents which block signals from being sent between nerve cells, resulting in seizures and paralysis of muscles. In addition to these types of chemical weapons, there are also blood agents, choking agents, and blister agents. Blood agents stop blood cells from being able to use and transport oxygen, causing the body to become deoxygenated, whereas choking agents irritate the lungs and cause the victim to choke from a fluid buildup. Lastly, blister agents cause large burn-like blisters on the skin and even inside the body. As a result, the use of blister agents can cause the burning of skin, mucous membranes and the eyes.

Chemical weapons were first used as weapons of mass destruction in World War I, when the German army carried out a chlorine attack in Belgium. The attack resulted in 5,000 casualties. Following this event, several other nations (including the USA) carried out chemical attacks using chlorine, phosgene, and mustard gas. In some cases, chlorine and phosgene gas were mixed to create a more lethal combination; such developments were rapid and occurred in a short period of time. By the end of the war 1.2 million people had been injured, and 91,000 had died. These horrendous casualties acted as a serious message to global leaders in regards to the lethality of these weapons and thus the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) was created, banning the production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons. Although the CWC has 192 state parties and has caused 7 countries to completely destroy their chemical weapons stockpiles, there are several countries which have chosen to remain outside the treaty. One such example is North Korea, which is reported to have numerous types of chemical weapons that are ready to be used in warfare.

During the 1980s Iran-Iraq war, an estimated 50,000 people were killed in Iran as a result of Iraq’s use of chemical weapons; this caused tensions between the two countries. However, after this disaster, Iran joined the CWC and worked to eliminate its chemical weapons stocks. The US has in the past claimed that Iran continues to develop and produce chemical weapons, but these claims came without any proof. Most recent US reports have stated that Iran is

Research Report | Page 5 of 18 ​ ​

nd th The Hague International Model United Nations Qatar 2019| 22 –​ 25 of​ January 2019 ​ ​ ​ ​

capable of producing chemical warfare agents, although there is no proof that the nation currently possesses such weapons.

There are many modern incidences of use of chemical warfare, the most significant of which have been seen and continue to be see in Syria. In April 2018, over 40 people were killed in a suspected chemical attack on the town of Douma, Syria. According to the Violations Documentation Center, the Syrian Air Force dropped two bombs on the town, and several days after the attack, the US confirmed that chemical weapons had been used. The Syrian President accused several Western nations of staging the attack. On the other hand, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres conveyed his anger regarding the issue, and warned that the use of chemical weapons for any purpose or by any party violates international law. There have been many chemical attacks similar to this one, and UN and OPCW investigations were launched; they found that Syrian government forces had used chlorine in the civil war at least three separate times. Due to its strong stance against the use of chemical weapons, the US vowed to destroy all Syrian chemical weapons stocks, and it appeared that this mission had been successful. However, the OPCW reported in 2016 that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had hidden some of the nation’s chemical weapons for future use and development. The US, UK and France are largely against this and as such cooperated to carry out airstrikes on regions in Syria which were suspected of housing chemical weapons.

Chemical weapons can have catastrophic effects in warfare, capable of killing millions of people by the end of a war as seen in World War I. A chemical attack will most likely be fatal, but will result in permanent injuries in some cases, such as respiratory deformations. The most significant advancement in the development of chemical WMDs is the mixing of chemicals, which has made them much more powerful, capable of causing larger amounts of damage than ever before. For this reason, it is vital to exert global efforts alongside the Chemical Weapons Convention and the OPCW to eliminate the use of Chemical Weapons, and to prohibit the development and manufacture of new types of chemical WMDs.

Nuclear Weapons

Since the end of the Cold War, several nations have been developing their nuclear weapons arsenals, namely the US, Russia, the UK and France, for various reasons. The US's initial development of its nuclear arsenal resulted in Russia developing its arsenal, as the nation determined that they were in a disadvantageous position. This has become competitive in nature, and as a result, Russia and the United States are in possession of large majority of the world’s nuclear weapons.

Page 6 of 18 | Research Report ​ nd th The Hague International Model United Nations Qatar 2019| 22 –​ 25 of​ January 2019 ​ ​ ​ ​

Nuclear weapons release destructive amounts of energy when they explode, and as such can be considered the most dangerous existing weapon. Small amounts of matter release huge amounts of energy; one nuclear bomb can destroy the infrastructure of an entire city as well as wipe out all life in the area. In addition, it is not only the immediate effects of the explosion which must be considered, but also the long-term effects of the nuclear fallout, which can last several years after the time of an explosion. Such detrimental long-term effects can be seen today as Japan still suffers from the effects of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki attacks.

After taking office in 2009, President Barack Obama announced that the United States would not develop new types of atomic weapons. However, shortly after Obama left office, Donald Trump ordered the Department of Defense to review the whole US nuclear arsenal. It appears that Trump has intentions of continuing a modernization program which is making US nuclear weapons more deadly; this program is being done with no public discussion whatsoever, and there are no intentions of stopping or diminishing this program. Recently, it has become apparent that these development efforts are in response to Russia’s development of its nuclear arsenal; the nation is working on creating deadlier strategic weapons, including new ground based weapons.

Russia’s nuclear weapons storage facilities are poorly maintained. Many of such facilities have been used for several decades, and some have been storing more nuclear warheads than they are capable of. This poor maintenance has caused concerns that Russia’s nuclear warheads are more vulnerable than others to fires and other damage, which would cause catastrophic effects. Evidently, the storage facilities are in dire need of maintenance. However, such maintenance opens up new doors for the development of new technology, which is a large global danger.

There are fears that the existence of large nuclear weapon stockpiles may result in accidental use in the case of a systems failure or even unauthorized use - for example, use by terrorist groups. Using the Hiroshima and Nagasaki disasters of 1945 as examples of the harm that can befall a city, it is vital that the use of nuclear weapons is discontinued, and the development and production of all new nuclear WMDs prohibited. In the words of the Secretary General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres, a nuclear war cannot be won, so it must never be fought.

Missiles

Missiles are used to carry and deliver payloads, most notably nuclear payloads. Although missiles can be used for the placement of satellites in orbit, for example, this dual-use technology poses a large threat due to its ability to deliver nuclear weapons of mass destruction quickly. In

Research Report | Page 7 of 18 ​ ​

nd th The Hague International Model United Nations Qatar 2019| 22 –​ 25 of​ January 2019 ​ ​ ​ ​

the late 1900s, numerous nations sold missiles to other nations, an act which was largely beneficial to their economies. In fact, North Korea has indicated that it is willing to sell missiles and missile parts in order to make large profits. This act will cause the spread of missiles to many different countries and undermine the stability of global peace.

Recently, research and development of weapons of mass destruction has lead to the creation of unstoppable missiles: hypersonic missiles. These have the ability to travel at a speed of 1 mile per second, which is over 5 times the speed of sound. The US Air Force has reported that Russia and China are “aggressively pursuing” hypersonic missiles, and that the US is currently incapable of defending themselves against these weapons due to their high speeds and ability to travel at lower altitudes than regular missiles. Russian President Vladimir Putin has publicly announced that his nation will soon overtake other nations in the global arms race, and that hypersonic missiles will be deployed in the coming months.

If the United States is unable to defend itself against these new weapons of mass destruction despite having largely advanced weapon arsenals, then it is highly unlikely that other nations will be able to do so. The issue is new and has not fully developed, but in the coming months, Russia’s precise capabilities will become clear.

Limiting use of new weapons of mass destruction

With the rapid pace of technological advancements in today’s world, there is no doubt that the use of new weapons of mass destruction must be limited as quickly as such weapons are being created. The most significant attempt to do so was the “Guide to the Legal Review of New Weapons, Means and Methods of Warfare”.

In 1977, a new addition was made to the Geneva Conventions, requiring use of new weapons to abide by international humanitarian law. Later, at the 28th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (ICRC), it was announced that “all new weapons, means and methods of warfare should be subject to rigorous and multidisciplinary review”. In January 2006, the ICRC created the “Guide to the Legal Review of New Weapons, Means and Methods of Warfare”, in order to support this declaration and help regulate the development and manufacture of new weapons of mass destruction. As there is no specified method with which each state will ensure that their use of new weapons is legal, it must be organised separately by each state. This ICRC guide is a significant step towards limiting the use of new weapons of mass destruction.

Major Countries and Organizations Involved

Page 8 of 18 | Research Report ​ nd th The Hague International Model United Nations Qatar 2019| 22 –​ 25 of​ January 2019 ​ ​ ​ ​

Russia

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union (USSR) in 1991, Russia became the owner of most of the USSR’s weapons of mass destruction. This included nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, as well as numerous missiles.

The USSR’s nuclear capabilities were vast, especially following the nuclear arms race in the Cold War – the number started at 55,000 nuclear warheads - the majority of the arsenal ending up in Russia’s hands. In previous years, the nation became party to several arms control treaties and initiatives alongside the United States. These were successful and are estimated to have reduced Russia’s nuclear arsenal from roughly 40,000 warheads to only a few thousand (the exact figure is unknown, but estimates lie between 5 and 7 thousand warheads).

The USSR began developing their chemical weapon arsenal in the 1920s. At its peak, the USSR’s chemical warfare infrastructure was the largest in the world. However, following the collapse of the USSR, Russia began to exert efforts towards chemical disarmament. In 1993, the nation signed the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). The nation worked towards completely destroying its chemical weapons arsenal, and in September 2017, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) announced that Russia had eliminated its entire chemical arsenal.

In 1972, the USSR became party to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC), and when Russia succeeded the USSR, it inherited this status. However, although the Russian government claims that it does not possess any biological weapons, there are reports which speculate otherwise. The US State Department has argued that Russia’s annual reports for the BTWC are inadequate in documenting whether the nation is still in possession of its biological weapons arsenal.

Although Russia has made efforts in some areas to solve the issue, the nation continues to develop new weapons for its nuclear arsenal. In 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced to the public that the nation had developed new types of powerful nuclear weapons, and Russian officials also announced their readiness to use nuclear weapons against the United States in a war if needed. In addition to this, Russia has been actively pursuing research and development of hypersonic missiles, which are currently a threat that the US is unable to deal with. According to President Putin, these weapons will be deployed in the coming months. As such, Russia and the development of its nuclear arsenal may pose a threat to global peace.

United States of America

The United States is one the five “nuclear weapon states” that the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) recognizes. It is the only nation that has ever utilized nuclear weapons in conflict. In August 1945, the US forces dropped a nuclear bomb on the city of Hiroshima. This attack

Research Report | Page 9 of 18 ​ ​

nd th The Hague International Model United Nations Qatar 2019| 22 –​ 25 of​ January 2019 ​ ​ ​ ​ caused 80,000 fatalities on impact (with many following later due to the high levels of radiation), and also caused 90% of the city to be completely destroyed. Several days later, a nuclear bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, which caused 40,000 fatalities on impact. Besides the immediate effects, there were numerous long-term effects; the prolonged radiation exposure increased the occurrence of cancer in survivors of the attack and the people who had physical deformities due to the nuclear radiation were shunned by society. Not only this, but due to the economic devastation that befell the country, Japan was forced to accept economic help from the United States – the very country which had attacked it. The analysis of the impacts highlights how crucial it is to prohibit the proliferation of nuclear weapons of mass destruction.

In 1969, President Richard Nixon implemented a policy which prevented the United States from using biological weapons in the future, promising to only use biological research for immunization reasons. There were several reasons for implementing the policy, such as budgetary reasons (halting the development of new biological weapons would save the country large sums of money), and political reasons. Nixon then signed the Biological Weapons Convention in 1972, and by February 1973, the US had destroyed its entire biological weapons arsenal. Nixon’s policy prevented the development and manufacture of new biological weapons of mass destruction.

During World War II, the development and production of chemical weapons (both current and new) was quickly increasing, but the United States did not use these in the war as per the instructions of President Franklin Roosevelt. The United States signed the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1997 and had been set a deadline of 2007 for destruction of its chemical weapons arsenal. However, it did not meet this deadline, and by 2013 it had only destroyed 90% of its stockpile. It is expected that the nation will complete this task by 2023. As the nation is in the process of destroying its chemical WMDs, it will not be able to develop and manufacture new ones.

In 1963, the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (LTBT) was implemented, which bans nuclear tests that cause “radioactive debris to be present outside the territorial limits of the state under whose jurisdiction or control” the explosions were conducted; there were specific bans on all nuclear tests in the atmosphere, in space, or underwater. This treaty succeeded in halting the spread of radioactive material and, and acted as a baseline for future arms control treaties. It also ensures that any new nuclear WMDs created have limits on their testing, which will aid in controlling the development and production of such weapons.

In response to the chemical attacks in Syria, the Obama administration worked to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons stock in 2014. The process entailed loading ships with the chemical weapons, and transporting them to an American Navy vessel, where the chemicals were then destroyed. By 2016, the OPCW stated that all of Syria’s chemical weapons had been destroyed. However, more chemical attacks followed, and it became apparent that the entire stock had not been entirely destroyed, although the

Page 10 of 18 | Research Report ​ nd th The Hague International Model United Nations Qatar 2019| 22 –​ 25 of​ January 2019 ​ ​ ​ ​ most lethal weapons had been. By doing this, the United States had ensured that Syria was barred from developing its chemical weapons arsenal, and had also ensured that terrorist groups could not obtain these chemical weapons.

With the recent worldwide developments in microbiology, the United States has kept all of its microbiological research and development transparent. The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) continually publishes reports and articles on new findings. In addition, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published a list of upcoming plans for research in the field of microbiology, all of which aim to use microbiology for peaceful and useful scientific research purposes only. This transparency has helped to assure the global community that the US is not looking to create new biological WMDs using this new technology.

Iran

Iran has been party to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention since 1973. As they are a country with large advances in biological engineering and research, the US has previously accused them of creating biological weapons to be used in warfare. Although there is no evidence that the country has been producing such weapons, it is public knowledge that they are perfectly capable of doing so, and to a high level.

After suffering great losses from chemical warfare in the 1970 Iran-Iraq war, Iran signed the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1997, while also allowing for a thorough inspection of all their chemical facilities. Additionally, the country makes active contributions alongside the OPCW to prevent the use of chemical weapons; yet despite these public efforts, the US has accused Iran numerous times of developing and storing chemical weapons. Iran continues to deny these accusations.

In the 1950s, Mohamed Reza Shah launched Iran’s nuclear program with the intention of constructing numerous nuclear facilities, including 20 nuclear power reactors. However, the Shah was soon removed from power and the nuclear program became discontinued by Ayatollah Khomeini. Khomeini had declared the program to be “un-Islamic”, yet forwarded the decision to restart it in 1984. Over the next 30 years later, Iran became capable of producing powerful uranium-based nuclear weapons, despite not owning any.

German Intelligence has recently reported that Iran continues to attempt to obtain “goods and know-how to be used for the development of weapons of mass destruction and to optimize corresponding missile delivery systems”. Iran is currently focused on obtaining German technology for this task. In addition, in May 2018 Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has announced that he ordered the nation’s atomic industry organization to “start industrial enrichment without limitations”, after the US announced it will be imposing great economic sanctions on Iran. In the past, economic sanctions imposed on the nation due to its WMD development have caused millions of citizens to suffer; Research Report | Page 11 of 18 ​ ​

nd th The Hague International Model United Nations Qatar 2019| 22 –​ 25 of​ January 2019 ​ ​ ​ ​ unemployment, inflation, medicine shortages, and food shortages were amongst the detrimental effects seen in the country. However, despite this, Iran still appears to be set on developing and manufacturing new WMDs, which is a large threat to international peace and security.

North Korea

North Korea currently possesses a large arsenal of weapons of mass destruction, primarily nuclear, biological, and chemical, as well as one of the largest militaries worldwide.

Although North Korea was at first a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, it withdrew in January 2003, allowing it to conduct several missile and nuclear tests in 2006. With regards to nuclear capabilities, South Korea has claimed that North Korea is in possession of 60 nuclear weapons as well as sufficient weaponized plutonium to create 8 bombs. Recently, the IAEA has detected signs of construction work and uranium enrichment being conducted at the nation’s primary nuclear site, which are good indicators of ongoing development of weapons of mass destruction.

North Korea is thought to have one of the largest chemical weapons stockpiles globally; at its maximum potential, the nation is capable of producing and storing up to 12,000 tons of chemical weapons. Although the nation denies its chemical capabilities, there have been several claims from South Korea that the nation possesses mustard gas, sarin, and NX, amongst other lethal nerve agents, which poses a danger to the security of the Korean Peninsula

Although North Korea had signed the Biological and Toxin Weapons convention (BTWC), they are suspected to be producing and storing biological weapons of mass destruction, including new and more powerful versions. If proven, these actions would violate the terms of the BTWC. The US and South Korea have claimed that North Korea commenced development and manufacture of biological weapons in the 1960s. It is also thought that the country may possess stocks of the smallpox virus, which it may or may not plan to use in future wars.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

The IAEA was formed in 1957 with the mission of controlling the development of nuclear technology. Its main mission is to ensure that nuclear energy is used for peaceful purposes only.

In 1970, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) was entered into force, with the goal of preventing the additional spreading of nuclear weapons and nuclear technology. It also aimed to move the world further in the direction of nuclear disarmament. Most states under the NPT are declared to be non-nuclear-weapon states, meaning they will not manufacture, develop, or obtain nuclear weaponry. On the other hand, a state is declared to be a nuclear weapon state if they have

Page 12 of 18 | Research Report ​ nd th The Hague International Model United Nations Qatar 2019| 22 –​ 25 of​ January 2019 ​ ​ ​ ​

st manufactured and exploded a device of nuclear nature (including weapons) before January 1 ,​ 1967. ​ These nations affirm that they will not help or encourage any non-nuclear weapon states in the development or manufacture of nuclear weaponry. Currently, there are five states which hold the nuclear weapon state status: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)

The OPCW was founded in 1997, in parallel with the entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention. The OPCW has several goals, the most relevant of which are: ending the development, storage and use of chemical weapons, preventing the reappearance of chemical weapons, and destroying current stocks of chemical weapons.

These tasks are all part of an attempt to protect the global community from chemical warfare, and from new chemical weapons of mass destruction. All member states are required to produce a chemical weapons declaration, which must include all details about their toxic chemical use. The organization is aware that toxic chemicals are utilized by many nations for peaceful research applications. To ensure that these chemicals are not being used for dangerous purposes, and that nations are reporting the full extent of their toxic chemical use, OPCW inspectors regularly visit the locations where these chemicals are produced and used. This will ensure that any nations which are developing and manufacturing new chemical weapons of mass destruction are stopped immediately. To ensure that chemical weapons policies are up to date, the OPCW established a subsidiary body called the Scientific Advisory Board, which has recently been working to investigate advances in chemical sciences and technology.

In 2013, the OPCW was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize due to its efforts towards eliminating chemical weapons. This came at a time when chemical weapons regulations were much needed as a result of the frequency of chemical attacks in Syria. The organization continues with its ongoing investigation into this issue, and its most recent Fact Finding Mission involved investigations into the alleged chemical weapon use on Douma, Syria in April 2018.

In October 2018, the US, UK, and Netherlands reported Russia for attempting to hack the OPCW. It is believed that Russia may have been trying to cover its tracks with regards to its involvement in chemical weapons attack in Syria. This event has been criticised by the US, the UK and the Netherlands, with the US calling it “reckless behaviour”.

Timeline of Events

Date Description of event

Research Report | Page 13 of 18 ​ ​

nd th The Hague International Model United Nations Qatar 2019| 22 –​ 25 of​ January 2019 ​ ​ ​ ​

nd 22 ​ April 1915 Germany uses 168 tons of chlorine gas in an attack on Ypres, ​ Belgium, resulting in 5000 casualties. This is the first use of weapons of mass destruction.

1925 The Geneva Protocol is established, which banned the use of biological and chemical weapons in warfare.

1945 The United States of America launches a nuclear attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. This is the first time nuclear weapons have been used during war.

th 25 ​ November 1969 President Richard Nixon implements a new policy where the United ​ States would never use biological weapons from then on.

1970 The NPT is entered into force

1972 The Biological Weapons Convention, a treaty banning the development and stockpiling of biological weapons, was created

1993 The Chemical Weapons Convention is created. This is a treaty which prohibits the production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons.

th 29 ​ April 1997 The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is formally ​ established.

Relevant UN Treaties and Events

● Treaty on the prohibition of the emplacement of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction on the seabed and the ocean floor and subsoil thereof (1971) (A/RES/2660(XXV)) ​ ● Treaty on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, 28 April 2004 (S/RES/1540) ​ ● Convention on the prohibition of the development, production and stockpiling of bacteriological (biological) and toxin weapons and on their destruction, 10 November 2011 (A/66/419) ​ ● Security council resolution 2325 (2016) on-proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, 15 December 2016 (S/RES/2325(2016)) ​ ● Prohibition of the development and manufacture of new types of weapons of mass destruction and new systems of such weapons, 7 December 1988 (A/RES/43/72) ​

Page 14 of 18 | Research Report ​ nd th The Hague International Model United Nations Qatar 2019| 22 –​ 25 of​ January 2019 ​ ​ ​ ​

Previous Attempts to solve the Issue

The United Nations has established several Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zones globally, in an attempt to work towards complete nuclear disarmament. Countries which are party to Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zones make it known to the world that they are willing to work towards nuclear disarmament and global peace. These zones also provide assurance to their member states that there will be no nuclear weapon use in the region. Currently, there are five Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zones, in the following areas: Latin America and the Caribbean, South Pacific, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Central Asia. As such, it is guaranteed that there will be no development or manufacture of any nuclear WMDs whatsoever in these areas.

Several treaties have been established, most notably the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Biological Weapons Convention, and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. These aim to ensure peaceful use of chemicals and biological substances, as well as to prevent the spread and development of nuclear weapons. However, not all countries have become party to these treaties. Moreover, not all countries who are party to these treaties are cooperative; some of them, such as North Korea, are withholding information about their nuclear capabilities.

In 1979, the Conference on Disarmament (CD) was established, with the aim of discussing and finding solutions for topics related to arms control and disarmament. The agenda of the CD includes several different topics within the issue of Disarmament, but the most relevant is “New types of weapons of mass destruction and new systems of such weapons”. Currently, there has not been much progress on this issue, however the Conference continues to hold three meetings annually, with the intention of making progress related to the issues on its agenda.

Possible Solutions

A possible solution to this issue is to draft a treaty which would require all participating nations to disclose full information to the UN about their possession, production, and development of weapons of mass destruction. This would ensure that there is an awareness of global weapon capabilities and development. Although several treaties to this effect exist, many nations are not abiding by them. For example, in the case of North Korea, its nuclear capabilities are unconfirmed; the only numbers available are those from observers or from reports. Such a treaty would aid the UN in monitoring global WMD stock, and ensuring that nations are not developing and manufacturing new WMDs.

Another possible solution would be to reduce military budgets. In 2015, $63.5 billion (10.5%) of the $601 billion US military budget was spent on Research and Development. With a limited military budget, nations would be forced to focus on current threats rather than preparing for possible future

Research Report | Page 15 of 18 ​ ​

nd th The Hague International Model United Nations Qatar 2019| 22 –​ 25 of​ January 2019 ​ ​ ​ ​ threats, ensuring that they do not spend large portions of their budget attempting to research, develop and manufacture new types of WMDs.

In addition to reducing military budgets, another possible solution includes increasing prices of WMD components. Take nuclear weapons for example: the total cost of a nuclear weapon is already several million dollars, therefore only a few nations are able to afford them. Increasing the price of WMDs and their components will ensure that fewer nations are able to obtain them, as prices may rise beyond what nations can afford. As a result, there will not be as many opportunities as in the past for the development of WMDs.

Developing a specific set of instructions to abide by following disease outbreaks will work towards decreasing biological weapons of mass destruction. The World Health Organization (WHO) frequently follows up with nations following an outbreak, however, some nations have in the past not complied with these investigations and have kept samples of the disease in storage. The diseases can be developed to be made more lethal, than mass produced and used in warfare. Therefore, developing and implementing such a procedure, which would require full cooperation from all nations, can help the solve the issue of the development and manufacture of biological weapons of mass destruction.

Finally, hosting regular conferences to review the issue will help keep international relations healthy, and will allow member states and organizations to monitor the progress of this issue.

Bibliography

"UNODA – United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs." United Nations. United Nations, n.d. Web. ​ ​ https://www.un.org/disarmament/

Hooker, Edmond. "Biological Warfare Facts & History of Biological Agents." EMedicineHealth. N.p., n.d. ​ ​ Web. https://www.emedicinehealth.com/biological_warfare/article_em.htm ​

Schneider, Barry R. "Biological Weapon." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 27 ​ ​ Nov. 2017. Web. https://www.britannica.com/technology/biological-weapon ​

Chan, Emily. "Biological Weapons of Mass Destruction 'could Wipe out a Fifth of World's Population'." Daily Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 27 Dec. 2016. Web. ​ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4066952/Biological-weapons-mass-destruction-ability-spread-de adly-diseases-like-Ebola-Zika-wipe-fifth-world-s-population.html

NATO. "Weapons of Mass Destruction." NATO. N.p., n.d. Web. https://www.nato.int/cps/ra/natohq/topics_50325.htm

Page 16 of 18 | Research Report ​ nd th The Hague International Model United Nations Qatar 2019| 22 –​ 25 of​ January 2019 ​ ​ ​ ​

United Nations Office of Geneva. "The Biological Weapons Convention." UNOG - The United Nations Office at Geneva. N.p., n.d. Web. https://www.unog.ch/80256EE600585943/(httpPages)/04FBBDD6315AC720C1257180004B1B2F?Open Document

"History." OPCW. N.p., n.d. Web. https://www.opcw.org/about-us/history ​

"Fact Sheets & Briefs." The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) At A Glance | Arms Control ​ Association. N.p., n.d. Web. https://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/bwc ​ ​

"Analysis." Nuclear Threat Initiative - Ten Years of Building a Safer World. N.p., n.d. Web. ​ ​ https://www.nti.org/analysis/

"The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty." Nuclear Stability in a Post-Arms Control World | Center for Strategic and International Studies. N.p., n.d. https://www.csis.org/analysis/nuclear-non-proliferation-treaty

Gould, Skye. "Here's How the US Military Spends Its Billions." Business Insider. Business Insider, 29 Aug. 2015. Web. https://www.businessinsider.com/how-the-us-military-spends-its-billions-2015-8 ​

Sample, Ian. "Synthetic Biology Raises Risk of New Bioweapons, US Report Warns." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 19 June 2018. Web. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/jun/19/urgent-need-to-prepare-for-manmade-virus-attacks-sa ys-us-government-report

Macias, Amanda. "Putin Says Russia Will Deploy Hypersonic Missiles in 'coming Months,' Surpassing US and China." CNBC. CNBC, 18 Oct. 2018. Web. https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/18/putin-says-hypersonic-missiles-will-deploy-in-coming-months.html

"The Limited Test Ban Treaty, 1963." U.S. Department of State. U.S. Department of State, n.d. Web. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1961-1968/limited-ban

Appendix

I. https://www.un.org/disarmament/ (United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs) ​

This website is useful as it contains a large amount of information about disarmament from the United Nations. There is information about all aspects of disarmament, including several publications and fact sheets.

Research Report | Page 17 of 18 ​ ​

nd th The Hague International Model United Nations Qatar 2019| 22 –​ 25 of​ January 2019 ​ ​ ​ ​

II. https://www.nti.org/ (The Nuclear Threat Initiative) ​ ​ ​

The Nuclear Threat Initiative is an organization which works towards global security, by attempting to prevent warfare using weapons of mass destruction. This website contains detailed information on all types of weapons of mass destruction, as well as detailed information on the history and role of various countries in the matter of disarmament.

III. https://www.opcw.org/ (Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) ​ ​ ​

The website provides information about the OPCW, an organization heavily involved in the issue of weapons of mass destruction, and its missions.

Page 18 of 18 | Research Report ​