1.  The Ramsar Convention commits signatory states to promote the conservation of particular wetland sites and the wise use of all wetlands within its territory.

2.  A Foreign Office spokesman said it was too early to consider sanctions against North Korea but added that Britain would consider what steps to take with other signatory states.

3.  A big problem, however, as some see it, is that individual signatory states are left to police themselves.

4.  China and the United States are deadlocked over on-site inspections in the event of a suspicious release of energy in a signatory state.

5.  Signatory states also agreed to work on a test ban treaty, currently under negotiation in Geneva.

6.  The accord, to be administered under United Nations auspices by an international secretariat at the Hague, allows signatory states to demand spot inspections in other signatory nations.

7.  The ban, to be administered by the Hague-based OPCW, also allows signatory states to demand spot inspections in other signatory nations.

8.  The ratification process ran into trouble over provisions allowing all signatory states to take part in monitoring compliance.

9.  The treaty calls for police forces from one signatory state to be allowed to pursue suspected criminals across the internal borders if they consider it necessary.

10.  Twenty-two years after the signing of the convention banning biological weapons, the signatory states are moving towards new measures to strengthen verification.