    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book II)]
    [September 4, 2002]
    [Page 1530]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 1530]]

    Message to the Congress Reporting a Certification Required by the
    Ratification Resolution of the Chemical Weapons Convention
    September 4, 2002

    To the Congress of the United States:
        Consistent with the resolution of advice and consent to ratification
    of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production,
    Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction,
    adopted by the Senate of the United States on April 24, 1997, I hereby
    certify pursuant to Condition 7(C)(i), Effectiveness of the Australia
    Group, that:

          Australia Group members continue to maintain equally effective or
            more comprehensive controls over the export of: toxic chemicals
            and their precursors; dual-use processing equipment; human,
            animal, and plant pathogens and toxins with potential biological
            weapons applications; and dual-use biological equipment, as that
            afforded by the Australia Group as of April 25, 1997; and

          The Australia Group remains a viable mechanism for limiting the
            spread of chemical and biological weapons-related materials and
            technology, and the effectiveness of the Australia Group has not
            been undermined by changes in membership, lack of compliance
            with common export controls and nonproliferation measures, or
            the weakening of common controls and nonproliferation measures,
            in force as of April 25, 1997.

        The factors underlying this certification are described in the
    enclosed statement of justification.

                                                              George W. Bush

    The White House,

    September 4, 2002.

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