Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted on Wednesday that the United States was establishing its biological laboratories quite close to Russia's and China's borders, accusing the country of being reluctant to ensure the transparency of its biological activities
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th May, 2020) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted on Wednesday that the United States was establishing its biological laboratories quite close to Russia's and China's borders, accusing the country of being reluctant to ensure the transparency of its biological activities.
"We have repeatedly drawn attention to the situation related to the establishment and development of biological laboratories. Most of them are under the auspices of the Pentagon, which the US is creating around the world indeed, including in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation [SCO] space, in the post-Soviet space. And these laboratories are formed quite tightly along the perimeter of the borders of the Russian Federation, and, therefore, near the borders of the People 's Republic of China," Lavrov said at a press conference, held after a meeting of the SCO foreign ministers.
The minister pointed to the need of transparency of the biological research, expressing regret over Washington's unwillingness to enable verification.
"The reluctance of the US to ensure transparency in its biological and military activities in various regions of the world certainly raises questions about what is really happening and what is being pursued. In my deep conviction, all countries should still approach this problem on a universal basis," Lavrov added.
The "best option" would be to agree upon a verification mechanism within the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological and Toxin Weapons, the minister added.
The SCO will discuss biosafety at the summit, which Russia's St. Petersburg is set to host in July, Lavrov said, adding that a special set of documents on sanitary and epidemiological safety is being prepared.
