ASSJSTANT DIRECTOR 
UNITED STATES ARMS CONTROL AND DISARMAMENT AGENCY 
June 8, 1982 
Dear Dr. Gartland: 
ACDA Director Rostov has asked me to respond to your 
letter of May 19, 1982, which requested ACDA's coiranents on 
a proposal to amend the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving 
Recombinant DNA Molecules so as to introduce a prohibition 
against "the construction of biological weapons by molecular 
cloning. " 
We have no objection to the proposal, which is consistent 
with U. S. obligations under the 1972 Biological and Toxin 
Weapons Convention. As discussed below, we do, however, have 
suggestions for the precise formulation of the amendment to 
bring it more closely into line with the language of the 
Convention. This position has been coordinated with the Depart- 
ment of Defense and other interested agencies of the Executive 
Branch. 
In your letter you requested comments on the statement (by 
those who proposed the amendment) : "Laboratory research involv- 
ing the construction of the organisms and the development of bio- 
logical weapons for 'defensive' (e.g., deterrent) purposes would 
be excluded from the Biological Weapons Convention." The lan- 
guage eind negotiating history of the Convention make clear that 
this statement is seriously mistaken. 
Under Article I of the Convention, a Party "undertakes 
never in any circumstances to develop, produce, stockpile or 
otherwise acquire or retain: 
"(1) Microbial* or other biological agents, or toxins what- 
ever their origin or method of production, of types and in 
qu^mtities that have no justification for prophylactic, protec- 
tive or other peaceful purposes; 
William J. Gartland, Jr., Ph.D., Director 
Office of Recombinant DNA Activities 
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 
National Institutes of Health - Rm. 4A52, Bldg. 31 
Bethesda, Maryland 20205 
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