The General Assembly,
 
      Recalling its previous resolutions relating to the complete and
effective prohibition of bacteriological (biological) and toxin weapons and to
their destruction,
 
      Noting with satisfaction that there are one hundred and thirty-nine
States parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development,
Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons
and on Their Destruction, including all the permanent members of the Security
Council, 
 
      Bearing in mind its call upon all States parties to the Convention to
participate in the implementation of the recommendations of the Review
Conferences, including the exchange of information and data agreed to in the
Final Declaration of the Third Review Conference of the Parties to the
Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling
of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction,
and to provide such information and data in conformity with standardized
procedure to the Secretary-General on an annual basis and no later than 15
April,
 
      Recalling its resolution 46/35 A, adopted without a vote on 6 December
1991, in which it welcomed, inter alia, the establishment, proceeding from the
recommendations of the Third Review Conference, of an ad hoc group of
governmental experts open to all States parties to identify and examine
potential verification measures from a scientific and technical standpoint,
 
      Recalling also its resolution 48/65, adopted without a vote on 16
December 1993, in which it commended the final report of the Ad Hoc Group of
Governmental Experts to Identify and Examine Potential Verification Measures
from a Scientific and Technical Standpoint, agreed to by consensus at the last
meeting of the Ad Hoc Group at Geneva on 24 September 1993,
 
      Recalling further its resolution 49/86, adopted without a vote on 15
December 1994, in which it welcomed the final report of the Special Conference
of the States Parties to the Convention, adopted by consensus on 30 September
1994, in which the States parties agreed to establish an ad hoc group, open to
all States parties, whose objective should be to consider appropriate
measures, including possible verification measures, and draft proposals to
strengthen the Convention, to be included, as appropriate, in a legally
binding instrument to be submitted for the consideration of the States
parties, 
 
      Recalling the provisions of the Convention related to scientific and
technological cooperation and the related provisions of the final report of
the Ad Hoc Group of Governmental Experts, the final report of the Special
Conference of the States Parties to the Convention, held from 19 to 30
September 1994, and the final documents of the Review Conferences,
 
      1.    Welcomes the information and data provided to date, and reiterates
its call upon all States parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the
Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and
Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction to participate in the exchange of
information and data agreed to in the Final Declaration of the Third Review
Conference of the Parties to the Convention;
 
      2.    Also welcomes the progress made by the Ad Hoc Group in pursuing
the mandate established by the Special Conference of the States Parties to the
Convention on 30 September 1994, and urges the Ad Hoc Group, in order to
fulfil its mandate, to intensify its work with a view to completing it as soon
as possible before the commencement of the Fifth Review Conference and to
submit its report, which shall be adopted by consensus, to the States parties
to be considered at a special conference;
 
      3.    Requests the Secretary-General to continue to render the necessary
assistance to the depositary Governments of the Convention and to provide such
services as may be required for the implementation of the decisions and
recommendations of the Review Conferences, as well as the decisions contained
in the final report of the Special Conference, including all necessary
assistance to the Ad Hoc Group;
 
      4.    Welcomes the convening, at the request of the States parties, of
the Fourth Review Conference of the Parties to the Convention at Geneva from
25 November to 6 December 1996;
 
      5.    Calls upon all signatory States that have not yet ratified the
Convention to do so without delay, and also calls upon those States that have
not signed the Convention to become parties thereto at an early date, thus
contributing to the achievement of universal adherence to the Convention;
 
      6.    Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-second
session the item entitled "Convention on the Prohibition of the Development,
Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons
and on Their Destruction".