Geneva Protocol
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The Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare, usually called the Geneva Protocol, is a treaty to ban the use of chemical and biological weapons. It was signed at Geneva on June 17, 1925 and was entered into force on February 8, 1928.
It prohibits the use of chemical weapons and biological weapons, but has nothing to say about production, storage or transfer. It was in 1972 augmented with the Biological Weapons Convention and in 1993 with the Chemical Weapons Convention.
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History
Germany first used chemical weapons in Ypres, Belgium in 1915 by releasing chlorine gas. The Treaty of Versailles included some provisions that banned Germany from either manufacturing or importing chemical weapons. Similiar treaties banned Austria, Bulgaria, and Hungary from chemical weapons.
At the end of World War I, the Allies wanted to reaffirm the Treaty of Versailles, and the United States introduced the Treaty of Washington. The United States Senate gave consent for ratification but it failed to enter into force. France objected to the submarine provisions the treaty and thus the treaty failed.
At the 1925 Geneva Conference for the Supervision of the International Traffic in Arms the French suggested a protocol for non-use of poisonous gases. Poland suggested the addition of bacteriological weapons. It was signed on June 17th.
Chemical Weapons Prohibitions
| Date | Name | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1675 | Strasbourg Agreement | The first international agreement limiting the use of chemical weapons, in this case, poison bullets. |
| 1874 | Brussels Convention on the Law and Customs of War | Prohibited the employment of poison or poisoned weapons, and the use of arms, projectiles or material to cause unnecessary suffering. |
| 1899 | 1st Peace Conference at the Hague | European Nations prohibited "the use of projectiles whose sole purpose is the release of asphyxiating or harmful gases" |
| 1907 | 2nd Peace Conference at the Hague | The Conference added the use of poisons or poisoned weapons. |
| 1922 | Treaty of Washington | Failed because France objected to clauses relating to submarine warfare. |
| 1925 | Geneva Protocol | Prohibited the use of "asphyxiating gas, or any other kind of gas, liquids, substances or similar materials" |
| 1972 | Biological and Toxins Weapons Convention | Failed - 143 parties, but no verification mechanism |
| 1993 | Chemical Weapons Convention Signed | Comprehensive bans on development, production, stockpiling and use of Chemical Weapons, with destruction timelines. |
| 1997 | Chemical Weapons Convention come Into Force | Inspections begin. |
Ratification Dates
A=Accession R=Ratification D=Declaration of Succession
| Country | Date | Accession, Ratification, or Declaration of Succession |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | December 9, 1986 | A |
| Albania | December 20, 1989 | A |
| Algeria | January 27, 1992 | A |
| Angola | November 8, 1990 | A |
| Antigua and Barbuda | April 27, 1988 | D |
| Argentina | May 12, 1969 | A |
| Australia | May 24, 1930 | A |
| Austria | May 9, 1928 | R |
| Bahrain | December 9, 1988 | A |
| Bangladesh | May 20, 1989 | A |
| Barbados | July 16, 1976 | D |
| Belgium | December 4, 1928 | R |
| Benin | December 9, 1986 | A |
| Bhutan | February 19, 1979 | A |
| Bhutan | February 19, 1979 | A |
| Bolivia | August 13, 1985 | A |
| Brazil | August 28, 1970 | R |
| Bulgaria | March 7, 1934 | R |
| Burkina Faso | March 3, 1971 | A |
| Cambodia | March 15, 1983 | A |
| Cameroon | July 20, 1989 | A |
| Canada | May 6, 1930 | R |
| Cape Verde | October 15, 1991 | A |
| Central African Republic | July 31, 1970 | A |
| Chile | July 2, 1935 | R |
| China, People's Republic of | July 13, 1952 | D |
| China, Republic of | August 7, 1929 | R |
| Côte d’Ivoire | July 27, 1970 | A |
| Cuba | June 24, 1966 | A |
| Cyprus | December 12, 1966 | D |
| Denmark | May 5, 1930 | R |
| Dominican Republic | December 8, 1970 | A |
| Ecuador | September 16, 1970 | A |
| Egypt | December 6, 1928 | R |
| Estonia | August 28, 1931 | R |
| Ethiopia | October 7, 1935 | R |
| Equatorial Guinea | May 20, 1989 | A |
| Fiji | March 21, 1973 | D |
| Finland | June 26, 1929 | R |
| France | May 10, 1926 | R |
| Gambia, The | November 5, 1966 | D |
| Germany | April 25, 1929 | R |
| Ghana | May 3, 1967 | A |
| Greece | May 30, 1931 | R |
| Grenada | January 3, 1989 | D |
| Guatemala | May 3, 1983 | A |
| Guinea Bissau | May 20, 1989 | A |
| Holy See | October 18, 1966 | A |
| Hungary | October 11, 1952 | A |
| Iceland | November 2, 1967 | A |
| India | April 9, 1930 | R |
| Indonesia | January 21, 1971 | D |
| Iran | November 5, 1929 | A |
| Iraq | September 8, 1931 | A |
| Ireland | August 29, 1930 | A |
| Israel | February 20, 1969 | A |
| Italy | April 3, 1928 | R |
| Jamaica | July 28, 1970 | D |
| Japan | May 21, 1970 | R |
| Jordan | January 20, 1977 | A |
| Kenya | July 6, 1970 | A |
| Korea (Republic of) | January 4, 1989 | A |
| Korea (Democratic Peoples Republic of) | January 4, 1989 | A |
| Kuwait | December 15, 1971 | A |
| Laos | May 20, 1989 | A |
| Latvia | June 3, 1931 | R |
| Lebanon | April 17, 1969 | A |
| Lesotho | March 10, 1972 | D |
| Liberia | June 17, 1927 | A |
| Libya | December 29, 1971 | A |
| Liechtenstein | September 6, 1991 | A |
| Lithuania | June 15, 1933 | R |
| Luxembourg | September 1, 1936 | R |
| Madagascar | August 2, 1967 | A |
| Malawi | September 14, 1970 | A |
| Malaysia | December 10, 1970 | A |
| Maldives | December 27, 1966 | D |
| Malta | September 21, 1964 | D |
| Mauritius | March 12, 1968 | D |
| Mexico | May 28, 1932 | A |
| Monaco | January 6, 1967 | A |
| Mongolia | December 6, 1968 | A |
| Morocco | October 13, 1970 | A |
| Nepal | May 9, 1969 | A |
| Netherlands | October 31, 1930 | R |
| New Zealand | May 24, 1930 | A |
| Nicaragua | October 5, 1990 | R |
| Niger | April 5, 1967 | D |
| Nigeria | October 15, 1968 | A |
| Norway | July 27, 1932 | R |
| Pakistan | April 15, 1960 | D |
| Panama | December 4, 1970 | A |
| Papua New Guinea | September 2, 1980 | D |
| Paraguay | October 22, 1933 | A |
| Peru | August 13, 1985 | A |
| Philippines | June 8, 1973 | A |
| Poland | February 4, 1929 | R |
| Portugal | July 1, 1930 | R |
| Qatar | October 18, 1976 | A |
| Romania | August 23, 1929 | R |
| Russia | April 5, 1928 | R |
| Rwanda | May 11, 1964 | D |
| St. Kitts & Nevis | April 27, 1989 | D |
| St. Lucia | December 21, 1988 | D |
| St. Vincent and the Grenadines | April 23, 1999 | D |
| Saudia Arabia | January 27, 1971 | A |
| Senegal | June 15, 1977 | A |
| Sierra Leone | March 20, 1967 | A |
| Slovakia | January 1, 1993 | D |
| Solomon Islands | June 1, 1981 | D |
| South Africa | May 24, 1930 | A |
| Spain | August 22, 1929 | R |
| Sri Lanka | January 20, 1954 | A |
| Sudan | December 17, 1980 | A |
| Swaziland | July 23, 1991 | A |
| Sweden | April 25, 1930 | R |
| Switzerland | July 12, 1932 | R |
| Syria | December 17, 1968 | A |
| Tanzania | April 22, 1963 | A |
| Thailand | June 6, 1931 | R |
| Togo | April 5, 1971 | A |
| Tonga | July 19, 1971 | D |
| Trinidad & Tobago | August 31, 1962 | D |
| Tunisia | July 12, 1967 | A |
| Turkey | October 5, 1929 | R |
| Uganda | May 24, 1965 | A |
| United Kingdom | April 9, 1930 | R |
| United States | April 10, 1975 | R |
| Uruguay | April 12, 1977 | R |
| Venezuela | February 8, 1928 | R |
| Vietnam | December 15, 1980 | A |
| Yemen | March 11, 1971 | A |
| Zimbabwe | April 18, 1980 | A |
External links
- The text of the protocol (http://www.brad.ac.uk/acad/sbtwc/keytext/genprot.htm)
- Signatory nations (http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~hsp/gensig.html)nl:Protocol van Genève