Kazakhstan: Experts discuss ways of preventing bioterrorism

Kazakhstanskaya Pravda
22 Sep 04 p 6

A Kazakh seminar on biological security has spoken about the need to
step up security at laboratories in Central Asia and the Caucasus
where strains of dangerous diseases are kept. Raymond Zilinskas from
the US Centre of Nonproliferation Studies said there was a threat of
anthrax spreading on the Kazakh side of the Island of Vozrozhdeniye in
the Aral Sea where there was a biological weapons test facility in
Soviet times. The following is the text of Olga Malakhova’s report
entitled “Down with bioterrorism” and published in the Kazakh
newspaper Kazakhstanskaya Pravda on 22 September; subheadings inserted
editorially:

The recent return of SARS may be connected with the fact that during a
study its virus was taken out of a laboratory, where poor specialists
were working. Insecure laboratories is one of three reasons for the
spreading of very dangerous infection. Natural breeding grounds are
still the main cause of disease spreading. However, specialists say
that bioterrorism is the most dangerous way because it is much more
difficult to fight this type of WMD.

Not myth but real danger

This is not a myth but quite a real danger, said the participants in a
seminar on biological security in Central Asia and the Caucasus, which
ended in Almaty yesterday [21 September]. The protection of many
institutions that have collections of dangerous bacteria, to put it
mildly leaves much to be desired. Specialists from medical services
and scientific institutes from Central Asia and the Caucasus complain
that the level of security at laboratories and museums where strains
are kept, and the training of specialists and the material bases are
far from international standards. The financing of many remains at
1960s levels, guards are not armed and there is a lack of
transport. The plague-proof clothing that is often shown on TV seems
an anachronism, but even this clothing has not been provided to
everyone, a representative from Armenia said.

Against this background, our institutions with their equipment and
security are in a better situation. True, a strange man recently tried
to enter the laboratory of the Kazakh Scientific Centre of Quarantine
and Zoonosis Infections. However, his attempt was thwarted thanks to
good security. Modern equipment, security and a secure fence have
appeared thanks to aid from the USA. The USA can also support various
projects connected with the study and rehabilitation of the territory
on the Island of Vozrozhdeniye in the Aral Sea, where there was a
biological weapons test facility in Soviet times.

Former biological facility poses threat

“The island needs to be studied by scientists and rehabilitated,”
Raymond Zilinskas, director of the chemical and biological weapons
nonproliferation programme at the US Centre of Nonproliferation
Studies [the Monterey Institute of International Studies], told a
Kazakhstanskaya Pravda newspaper correspondent. “There is no threat
of anthrax spreading from the Uzbek part of the island. American and
Uzbek specialists took care of this: they have reburied and
disinfected the area where biological weapons used to be kept.

However, there is still a threat, the representative of the Monterey
Institute of International Studies believes, and he expresses concern
that the Russian side has not provided information on what pathogens
were used in experiments. This information would help Kazakh
scientists determine the level of danger and measures for
rehabilitation. The difficulty is that it is unknown which pathogens
are natural and which are artificial man-made ones.

Strains of anthrax may remain on the island for a long time and infect
any living creature. Oil exploration and extraction work that is
planned to be carried out on the island pose a special
threat. Pollutants containing deadly strains may emerge during
geological exploration works, explosions and other activities.

Raymond Zilinskas hopes that the problem of clearing the territory of
the former biological weapons test facility will be resolved in two or
three years with the help of the American side.

Kazakhstan can train specialists

The seminar, which was organized by the Monterey Institute [of
International Studies] and the M. Aykimbayev Kazakh Scientific Centre
of Quarantine and Zoonosis Infections, discussed ways of making
specialists’ work safe for themselves and preventing very dangerous
diseases from being stolen and spread. It is necessary to create a
joint model for controlling biological materials and bring closer
legislation on export control.

Kazakhstan has created a network of sanitary and quarantine stations,
and a programme to improve them is being implemented. There is a plan
to set up a regional centre at the Kazakh scientific centre to train
specialists from Central Asia and the Caucasus. Many scientists from
these regions studied here. The centre has trained over 30,000
specialists for various republics [of the former Soviet Union] and
countries since 1948. A World Health Organization [WHO]
representative, May Chu, believes that the Kazakh Centre of Quarantine
and Zoonosis Infections has a modern scientific basis and intellectual
potential. Its six specialists underwent training on international
standards on biosecurity. The WHO will further continue supporting
the programme to train specialists.