    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book I)]
    [January 28, 2004]
    [Page 151]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message to the Congress Reporting a Certification Required by the
    Ratification Resolution of the Chemical Weapons Convention
    January 28, 2004

    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,

    January 28, 2004.