ArmInfo.The Sasna Tsrer party has responded to the statement by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, published by Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper, that Moscow and Yerevan are currently preparing a document that should guarantee the absence of foreign military in biological laboratories in Armenia.In particular, the party's statement says that such a treaty is strange, since Russia in this case forces Armenia to actions related to its relations with third countries.
Members of the group believe that by concluding such a document, we question the sovereignty of our state,Note that Sergey Lavrov also noted: "With Armenia, we are completing the process of preparing a document that will guarantee the non-presence of foreign military, which will ensure that everything that is done there will be transparent in terms of guarantees that there are no threats and risks "The minister said, adding that a similar agreement is also being prepared with Kazakhstan.Earlier, Kommersant wrote that the Russian side is negotiating with Armenia about signing a document that would guarantee a ban on the use of biolaboratories by third countries with financial support from the United States. It was noted that if the negotiations are crowned with success, then American experts will not have access to the laboratories.
During his visit to Moscow, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in an interview with the Kommersant newspaper that, on his personal instructions, Russian specialists were admitted to laboratories located in Armenia that deal with biomaterial research. He stressed that the representatives of the Russian Federation never had and will not have problems with access there. Recall that in 2016, with the funding of the US Department of Defense, three laboratories were opened in Armenia - in Yerevan, in Gyumri and in Ijevan. After their discovery in the Armenian and Russian mass media, publications are periodically received that these laboratories are dual-purpose objects and can also be used for military purposes for the creation and production of biological weapons.
The establishment of the reference laboratory in Yerevan by the US Department of Defense allocated $ 15.5, and the total funding amounted to $ 18 million. In Yerevan, $ 4.1 million was invested for the full construction of the reference laboratory of the food safety department for particularly dangerous pathogens repairing the reference laboratory of the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the Ministry of Health of Armenia by the US government invested $ 9.8 million, ensuring the seismic stability of the building and creating the necessary laboratory infrastructure Keturah. An additional $ 1.7 million for both laboratories was allocated for the purchase of new equipment and furniture.