Russia demands access of its experts to Lugar Georgian laboratory

Russian experts need access to all the buildings of the Lugar Laboratory in Georgia to verify the version of the works of US militaries on deadly disease agents, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) stated on May 26.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 17, Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson of the Russian MFA, stated that the Lugar laboratory located in Georgia could work on development of dangerous disease agents. In his turn, Paata Imnadze, the deputy director of the National Disease Centre, has stated that the laboratory conducts no military researches, but fights against coronavirus.

On May 26, the Russian MFA expressed its concern about the "military biological activities" of the Richard Lugar Public Health Research Centre.

"This laboratory of a high level of bio security was built by the US Department of Defence and is used in its interests to study germs of especially hazardous infectious diseases," the Russian MFA stated in its website.

A visit of Russian experts to the Lugar laboratory is expedient only provided they are guaranteed access to all the buildings of the centre, including the premises occupied by American experts, the Russian MFA has stated.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on May 27, 2020 at 07:07 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.