The Philippines is helping pursue diplomatic talks among various nations in a bid to eventually establish a mechanism facilitating international cooperation and assistance under the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC).

That's through Philippine Permanent Mission in Geneva's second secretary, Jonelle John Domingo, who is one of two diplomats appointed as "Friends of the Chair" for international cooperation and assistance.

Domingo represented Manila in helping in the facilitation of informal consultations, which eventually led to the identification of potential elements of such a mechanism, including a diplomatic committee to facilitate international assistance and a voluntary trust fund.

Efforts to establish a mechanism came as international cooperation and assistance under the BWC were hampered by differences on the following:

• whether the imposition of economic sanctions or export controls hamper the peaceful uses of life sciences, or
• if they are essential to controlling materials and technologies that could also proliferate biological weapons

To overcome these differences, proposals were put forward, including a suggestion to create a cooperation advisory group.

The proposal was presented by another Filipino diplomat, Kristine Leilani R. Salle, Chargé d’Affaires of the Philippine Mission in Geneva, on behalf of all ASEAN Member States, and was supported by most of the delegations.

Talks for the BWC's implementing protocol, which could have allowed it to verify whether states parties are adhering to the treaty's ban on biological weapons production and stockpiling, halted in 2001.

It had not moved forward until the establishment of the Working Group last year.

The Philippines has been among the strongest supporters of international cooperation and assistance under the BWC. It is providing every year financial donations to support a cooperation database that is being maintained from Geneva.