Armenia says cooperation with U.S. has nothing to do with bio-weapons

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia and the United States' cooperation through the Biological Threat Reduction Program have nothing to do with biological weapons, the Security Council of Armenia said in a statement on Monday, August 29.

"The Covid-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of strong national capacities for infectious disease surveillance, diagnosis, and response. International cooperation and assistance play a critical role in building these capacities," the statement reads.

"Our governments have partnered openly and transparently through the Biological Threat Reduction Program, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Defense Cooperative Threat Reduction Program. These partnerships are devoted exclusively to peaceful purposes; they have nothing to do with weapons."

According to the Security Council, said partnerships protect the health of humans and animals, including by the prevention, detection, and control of infectious disease outbreaks, and by enhancing laboratory biosafety and biosecurity.

"As partners in this program, we each have firsthand knowledge of its relevance to our shared goal of cooperating to strengthen global health security and reduce the impacts of infectious diseases on our societies," the statement says.

"Our governments strongly affirm the common view that such cooperation should not be undermined, but rather promoted and reinforced. Pursuant to Article X, we encourage all Biological Weapons Convention States Parties to work together, including at the forthcoming Review Conference, in support of this goal."