PROTOCOL FOR THE PROHIBITION OF THE USE IN WAR OF ASPHYXIATING,
POISONOUS OR OTHER GASES, AND OF BACTERIOLOGICAL METHODS OF
WARFARE
Signed at Geneva June 17, 1925
Entered into force February 8, 1928
Ratification advised by the U.S. Senate December 16, 1974
Ratified by U.S. President January 22, 1975
U.S. ratification deposited with the
Government of France April 10, 1975
Proclaimed by U.S. President April 29, 1975
The Undersigned Plenipotentiaries, in the name of their respective Governments:
Whereas the use in war of asphyxiating, poisonous or other gases, and of all analogous liquids,
materials or devices, has been justly condemned by the general opinion of the civilized world;
and
Whereas the prohibition of such use has been declared in Treaties to which the majority of
Powers of the World are Parties; and
To the end that this prohibition shall be universally accepted as a part of International Law,
binding alike the conscience and the practice of nations;
Declare:
That the High Contracting Parties, so far as they are not already Parties to Treaties prohibiting
such use, accept this prohibition, agree to extend this prohibition to the use of bacteriological
methods of warfare and agree to be bound as between themselves according to the terms of this
declaration.
The High Contracting Parties will exert every effort to induce other States to accede to the
present Protocol. Such accession will be notified to the Government of the French Republic, and
by the latter to all signatory and acceding Powers, and will take effect on the date of the
notification by the Government of the French Republic.
The present Protocol, of which the French and English texts are both authentic, shall be ratified
as soon as possible. It shall bear todays date.
The ratifications of the present Protocol shall be addressed to the Government of the French
Republic, which will at once notify the deposit of such ratification to each of the signatory and
acceding Powers.
The instruments of ratification of and accession to the present Protocol will remain deposited in
the archives of the Government of the French Republic.
The present Protocol will come into force for each signatory Power as from the date of deposit of
its ratification, and, from that moment, each Power will be bound as regards other powers which
have already deposited their ratifications.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the Plenipotentiaries have signed the present Protocol.
DONE at Geneva in a single copy, this seventeenth day of June, One Thousand Nine Hundred
and Twenty-Five.
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