From Pax Christi International
Pax Christi International is a Catholic Peace Movement inspired by Catholic Social Teaching. We call upon all people of good will to do anything in their power to contribute to global peace and justice in general and biosecurity in particular. Pax Christi would like to remind the international community gathered here today that it has the “responsibility to protect” (R2P) the security of all people. In relation to biosecurity, the lives of substantial numbers of people may be at risk not only through the spread of diseases and toxins harmful to human beings, but also through attacks aimed at livestock and food supplies. By applying the “responsibility to protect” to biosecurity, all these threats will be encompassed. The international community should take all possible precautions to prevent states or terrorist groups or individuals from obtaining or using such weapons. The Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention is the main instrument of international law to achieve this protection. The States Parties to this convention are urged to take into account the following recommendations in their deliberations during this year’s Seventh Review Conference.