The United Nations has refuted Russia's claims that there are biological weapons programs in Ukraine.
US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield expressed concern that Russia could use the meeting of the Security Council to use banned weapons against Ukraine, reports the Chronicle.info with reference to Focus.
At a meeting of the UN Security Council on March 11, Deputy Secretary General and High Representative for Disarmament Izumi Nakamitsu stated that they had no information about any biological weapons programs in Ukraine. She added: Russia and Ukraine are parties to the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention, which prohibits the development, production, purchase, transfer, stockpiling and use of biological and toxin weapons.
The treaty entered into force in 1975, since such weapons are illegal. Izumi Nakamitsu recalled that all 183 states that signed the Convention pledged never, under any circumstances, to develop or acquire biological weapons in any way.
In the light of the accusations of the Russian Federation, she voiced several options for resolving conflicts within Conventions, including possible convening of a consultative meeting:
«The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs is ready to support any procedures under the Biological Weapons Convention that States Parties may decide to use».
According to the UN website, Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya told the Council security that the Russian delegation received new evidence of an agreement between the Ukrainian and American authorities on the development of biological weapons on the territory of Ukraine, allegedly concluded in 2005. According to the representative of the Russian Federation, he turned over evidence to the Council, including documents on US funding in the amount of $32 million.
US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield in response recalled that the UN had already heard «conspiracy theories&# 187;, and stated that there are no such laboratories in the neighborhood of Russia. According to her, the Russian Federation can use the meeting to use chemical or biological weapons against Ukrainians.
«This meeting is the result of Russia's isolation in this Council and on the world stage», Linda Thomas emphasized -Greenfield.