Q. With reference to Weapons of Mass Destruction, consider the following statements::
1.The Biological Weapons Convention was the first multilateral disarmament treaty banning an entire category of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).
2.Nuclear weapons do not fall under the definition of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and are considered a separate category.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
WMD is a weapon with the capacity to inflict death and destruction on such a massive scale and so indiscriminately that its very presence in the hands of a hostile power can be considered a grievous threat.
Statement 1 is correct: The Biological Weapons Convention effectively prohibits the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling and use of biological and toxin weapons. It was the first multilateral disarmament treaty banning an entire category of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).
Statement 2 is incorrect: In 1977, the General Assembly adopted a definition of WMD as: “.. atomic explosive weapons, radioactive material weapons, lethal chemical and biological weapons, and any weapons developed in the future which might have characteristics comparable in destructive effect to those of the atomic bomb or other weapons mentioned above.”
