Russia demands access to US-built, Tbilisi Lugar Centre after being invited many times
Georgian health officials state that Russia’s attacks on Lugar Centre have political grounds. Photo: frontnews.eu.
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The Russian Foreign Ministry says that they are waiting for a response from Tbilisi to allow Russian experts to enter the US-built, Tbilisi Lugar Centre, which is now under the full control of the Georgian government.
- Russia grills NATO, US for supporting Georgia, cites US-built Tbilisi Lugar Lab as dangerous
- Putin claims ‘alarming genetic research’ being conducted in US-built lab in Tbilisi
Russia says that ‘using the centre for military-biologic activities by a foreign state (by the US) gives rise to many questions.’
Russia claims that the US funds the researchers in the centre and ensures its security.
We are concerned as the US refuses to explain what are its activities near the Russian border,” the statement said.
Russia says that a group of foreign experts visited the centre in November 2018. ‘However, the visit did not cover a comprehensive check of the centre.’
- Georgian health official says Russia’s allegations about Lugar Lab in Tbilisi are false
- US Deputy Assistant Secretary Kent thanks Georgia for opposing Russian propaganda against Lugar Center
Head of the Georgian National Centre of Disease Control Amiran Gamkrelidze says that Russia’s continued attacks on the Lugar Centre are political in nature.
Head of Georgia's National Centre of Disease Control Amiran Gamkrelidze says that Russia's is irritated by Georgia's foreign course. Photo: netgazeti.ge.
Gamkrelidze said that Georgia, including himself personally, has invited Russian experts and officials many times to the Lugar Centre. However, they have refused to take up the invitation.
Russia is also officially invited to the special secretariat in Geneva which studies issues of biological safety. A delegation headed by the secretariat, which included 21 representatives from 18 countries, visited the centre in 2018. Russia was also invited. However, they did not come,” Gamkrelidze stated.
He said that it is incorrect that the centre was not properly checked in 2018.
Everything was checked and the report is available on the web pages of the Geneva Biological Safety Secretariat and the Georgian National Centre of Disease Control,” Gamkrelidze said.
He stated that major worries of Russia is why the US helped Georgia to build the centre and Georgia is no longer dependent on Russia.
They are worried as we look to the US, EU and NATO and not to Russia,” Gamkrelidze said.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry has called the allegations ‘groundless and false’ and stated that despite having no obligation, Georgia is ready to receive a delegation, within the convention on prohibition of biological weapons, including Russian experts.
The Lugar Centre, officially called the Center for Public Health Research, is located in Tbilisi and named after former American Senator Richard Lugar.
It became operational in 2013. The centre is part of Georgia’s National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), under the Georgian Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs.
The construction of the centre was launched in 2004 based on agreements signed between Georgia and US in 1997 and 2002.
The Lugar Laboratory in Tbilisi will have a new test to diagnose the new China-born coronavirus 2019-nCOV starting February 4, said the head of the National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health Amiran Gamkrelidze.
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs George Kent has thanked the Georgian Foreign Ministry for opposing Russia’s continued propaganda, ‘which was also echoed in China’, against the US-built Lugar Lab in Tbilisi, which is administered entirely by the Georgian government.
Georgian and Chinese officials have hailed the activities of the US-founded Lugar lab in Tbilisi, which has again become the subject of Russian attacks during the coronavirus pandemic.
Head of the National Centre of Disease Control (NCDC) of Georgia Amiran Gamkrelidze says that recent allegations of the Russian media and state officials regarding illegal experiments at the Tbilisi-based, US-built Lugar Laboratory are “unimaginable falsehoods and slander.”
Russia has demanded access to all blocks and documentation of the US-built, Tbilisi Lugar Centre, and once again accused the lab of ‘conducting dangerous experiments’ following yesterday's repeat invitation from Tbilisi to receive Russian experts there. Russia says that they want the visit ‘without the presence of international organisations, in a bilateral format.’
The US embassy to Georgia has stated that as the world marks the anniversary of Georgian independence and celebrates Georgia’s success in combating COVID-19, the United States protests the ongoing, provocative ‘borderisation’ by Russian-led security forces along the occupation line of the Russian-occupied Georgian territories of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali.
The United States representative in the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe has responded to claims against the Tbilisi-based Center for Public Health Research by his Russian counterpart by calling the comments "disinformation" on Thursday.