Burma Preparing to Ratify Chemical, Biological Weapons Ban

12 December 2013

Burma is preparing to ratify two international treaties on chemical and biological weapons, a spokesman of President Thein Sein has told Radio Free Asia. Burma signed the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1993 and the Biological Weapons Convention in 1972, but falls into a small group of nations that have not ratified the treaties. Spokesman Ye Htut said Naypyidaw was holding talks with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons on how to prepare for ratification. The decision by Burma’s former military regime not to ratify the treaties led to concerns over a possible buildup of a chemical and biological weapons stockpile.