BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS

Biological agents have been used as weapons for a very long time and t heir history is interwoven with the history of wars. Aside from classi cal biological agents (bacteria, viruses, parasites, mycetes, and toxi ns), biotechnological and genetic breakthroughs increase hazards which will have to be assessed during periodic conferences verifying the im plementation of the 1972 convention, forbidding the use of biological weapons. In addition to a possible military use of these weapons, new threats are arising, related to the use of biological agents for terro rist or sabotage activities. The problems of defense must therefore be examined from an overall point of view, taking this new situation int o account.