Resolution 1540 was adopted under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, which covers "threats to the peace, breaches of the peace and acts of aggression." The resolution itself states in its opening paragraph: "proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, as well as their means of delivery, constitutes a threat to international peace and security". Even though the security council had already recognized the proliferation of WMD as a threat to international peace and security in the UNSC Presidential Statement on 31 January 1992,[3] it took the council until 2004 to adopt such a decisive resolution.