KATHMANDU: Nepal recently ratified the Biological Weapons Convention, becoming the 177th state party of the same.

"On November 4, 2016, Nepal has become the 177th State Party of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction after formally depositing the Instrument of Ratification by Nepal in Washington DC," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "The Governments of the United Kingdom, United States of America and the Russian Federation are the depositories of the Convention."

Nepal had signed the BWC on April 10, 1972.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Prakash Sharan Mahat had formally tabled the proposal for ratification of the Biological Weapons Convention to the Parliament on October 18.

Earlier, the Council of Ministers had decided on 1 January 2016 to proceed with ratification of the BWC in accordance with national laws.

The House had considered the proposal and ratified the Convention on October 23.

"The Ratification of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) represents the expression of Nepal’s strong belief in general and complete disarmament of all weapons of mass destruction including biological, chemical, nuclear and radiological weapons in a time-bound manner."