The annual plenary meeting of the Australia Group chemical and biological weapons nonproliferation regime will commemorate the 30th anniversary of the group’s founding, June 1–5, in Perth, Western Australia. Created initially to staunch the flow of precursor chemicals and materials used to make the chemical weapons used during the Iran-Iraq War, the Australia Group has set the international standard for responsible dual-use export controls in the chemical and biotechnology sectors and has played an important role in impeding the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons worldwide. In addition to celebrating this milestone, the event will provide biological and chemical experts the opportunity to continue to discuss ways to counter these types of weapons.
The United States greatly appreciates the resources and leadership Australia has put into this important multilateral nonproliferation mechanism.
The Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation’s (ISN) Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Vann Van Diepen will lead the U.S. delegation to these meetings.