▁as ▁early ▁as ▁July ▁ 1 9 6 9 . ▁The ▁announ cement ▁included ▁language ▁that ▁indicated ▁the ▁N ixon ▁administration ▁was ▁moving ▁toward ▁an ▁international ▁agreement ▁on ▁an ▁out right ▁ban ▁on ▁bio - we ap ons . ▁Thus , ▁the ▁N ixon ▁administration ▁became ▁the ▁world ' s ▁leading ▁anti - bi ological ▁weapons ▁voice ▁calling ▁for ▁an ▁international ▁treat y . ▁The ▁E igh teen ▁Nation ▁Dis arm ament ▁Committee ▁was ▁discuss ing ▁a ▁British ▁draft ▁of ▁a ▁bi ological ▁weapons ▁treat y ▁which ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁General ▁Assembly ▁approved ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁and ▁that ▁NAT O ▁supported . ▁These ▁arms ▁control ▁tal ks ▁would ▁eventually ▁lead ▁to ▁the ▁Bi ological ▁We ap ons ▁Convention , ▁the ▁international ▁treat y ▁out law ing ▁bi ological ▁war fare . ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁N ixon ▁announ cement ▁only ▁Canada ▁supported ▁the ▁British ▁draft . ▁Begin ning ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union , ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 0 0 ▁other ▁countries ▁signed ▁the ▁B W C . ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁rat ified ▁the ▁Gene va ▁Pro tocol ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁ ▁Ag ents ▁studied ▁and ▁weapon ized ▁When ▁the ▁U . S . ▁bi ological ▁war fare ▁program ▁ended ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁it ▁had ▁developed ▁six ▁mass - produ ced , ▁battle - ready ▁bi ological ▁weapons ▁in ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁agents ▁that ▁cause ▁anth ra x , ▁t ul are m ia , ▁bru