Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed in an interview with RT Arabic published on Thursday that biological laboratories funded by the United States exist in Armenia, as well as several Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan.
"There are such [biological] laboratories in Armenia, Kazakhstan and in the countries of Central Asia," Lavrov stated and added Russia is looking to conclude "memorandums of cooperation on biological safety, involving mutual informing about how biological programs" with these countries. "Transparency is important to ensure that these programs do not have a military dimension, as this is prohibited by the Convention [on the Prohibition of Biological and Toxin Weapons]. These memorandums involve mutual visits and familiarization with the activities of laboratories. In addition, it is written that biological each of our parties should not have military representatives of any third party," he added.
Earlier, Moscow accused the US of operating biological laboratories in Ukraine, which Washington denied.