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WARFARE GERMS LET LOOSE
by Victor Myasnikov
Translated by A. Ignatkin
Source: Nezavisimoye Voyennoye Obozreniye, No 20, June 29 - July 5, 2007, p. 7
Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
July 6, 2007 Friday
African Plague Outbreak In Georgia Attributed To A Secret Us Military
Laboratory In This Country
An update on the plague outbreak in Georgia. Official Tbilisi is
suspiciously taciturn on the subject.
The Rosselkhoznadzor banned the import of hogs, pork, and other
meats from Georgia. Surprisingly, Tbilisi did not even accuse Moscow
of putting Georgia under political or economic pressure. What is
happening in Georgia is recognized as an epizootic outbreak of
African plague. All neighboring countries (Azerbaijan, Armenia,
Turkey) imposed a ban on pork import from Georgia, and even some
other countries (the Ukraine) followed suit.
South Ossetian media outlets immediately assumed the worst and
began speculating on a special operation run in Georgia with the
participation of US secret services. The assumption is based on the
fact that the outbreak was first reported in the areas of Georgia
populated with ethnic minorities - Samegreli, Guria, Imereti in
the western part of the country, Samtskhe-Javakhetia and Kvareli,
Telavi, Gurjaa, and Lagodekhi districts of Kakhetia in the east. The
districts of Kakhetia affected by the outbreak are mostly populated
with Ossetians, Azerbaijanis, and Dagestanis, Samtskhe-Javakhetia
with Armenians, and West Georgia with Megrelians.
South Ossetian media outlets suspect that Tbilisi launched a nationwide
purge and hopes to undermine the economy of the regions in question
and thus to force non-Georgians to emigrate.
The assumption is naive because cases are reported all over Georgia,
save for the mountainous districts and Ajaria. Besides, Azerbaijanis
and Dagestanis are Muslims who do not eat pork and this viral attack
against them (if that is what it really is) is pointless.
The defense ministries of Georgia and United States signed the accord
"On cooperation in the sphere of technologies and pathogens used in
germ warfare means and non-proliferation on relevant information"
in 2002. When US Senator Richard Lugar was visiting Tbilisi in 2004,
the two countries agreed to set up the Central Reference Laboratory
in the settlement of Alekseevka near Tbilisi. The bilateral treaty
on realization of Nunn-Lugar program was signed in August 2005.
Lugar visited Tbilisi again in late August 2006. Health Care Minister
Lado Chipashvili and Lugar visited the laboratory in Alekseevka
where "research into abatement of biological hazard to Georgia" was
already under way. Chipashvili told journalists that the laboratory
in question was trying to find antidotes to various viruses including
the bird flu virus. Lugar in his turn said the laboratory had cost
$30 million and that the US Administration was prepared to finance
construction of several similar objects in Georgia and had already
set $65 million aside for the purpose.
The parliament of Georgia ratified amendments to the 2002 accord
two weeks later. Strictly speaking, activity of the laboratory was
classified. Georgian Deputy Defense Minister, Mamuka Kudava, announced
that the United States had initially allocated $15 million for the
laboratory but upped the sum to $95 million. It became clear then
that the Pentagon was running several secret programs in Georgia. CIA
secret jails gave way to the US Army's secret biolabs.
The Alia newspaper reported some details of the Georgian-American
agreement. One of its clauses specifies the delivery of cattle to
the laboratory. Khronika, another Georgian newspaper, stated that
viruses from all over the world were to be brought to Alekseevka. Paata
Imnadze, the head of the Disease Control National Center, denounced
Khronika's report by saying that "We only intend to study the viruses
found in Georgia. A global dump for viruses is out of the question."
Reports from Georgia on how the outbreak is being handled are unusually
infrequent. No statistical data is available. The latest reports are
dated late May and early June when the death rate for hogs was 20,000
and 22,000 animals. Tbilisi's silence is alarming.
When the disease is conquered, this success is always reported. When
it is not, the general public ought to know.
Should the plague cross Georgian borders, all of Europe will be
in trouble. Nikolai Vlasov of Rosselkhoznadzor, a specialist in
African plague and other exotic germs, proclaims the virus capable
of destroying all piggery in Russia.
Public opinion in Georgia pins the blame for the outbreak on the
American laboratory. Hence the veil of secrecy. South Ossetian and
Abkhazian media outlets are convinced that the outbreak is actually a
result of germ warfare tests that went out of control, but in Georgia
itself everything is ascribed to dereliction of duty on the part of
laboratory personnel.
Specialists work on vaccines against diseases in laboratories, civilian
and military, all over the world. They come up with new strains that
will hopefully help against new and new germs. As a matter of fact,
they study floral and faunal diseases rather than human ones more
and more often. It fits the popular concept of non-lethal weapons
for future wars to be fought to subdue the enemy to the winner's
will rather than destroy him. In these wars, a strike at the enemy's
economy or food chain may accomplish the mission even without the
use of the regular armies.
by Victor Myasnikov
Translated by A. Ignatkin
Source: Nezavisimoye Voyennoye Obozreniye, No 20, June 29 - July 5, 2007, p. 7
Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
July 6, 2007 Friday
African Plague Outbreak In Georgia Attributed To A Secret Us Military
Laboratory In This Country
An update on the plague outbreak in Georgia. Official Tbilisi is
suspiciously taciturn on the subject.
The Rosselkhoznadzor banned the import of hogs, pork, and other
meats from Georgia. Surprisingly, Tbilisi did not even accuse Moscow
of putting Georgia under political or economic pressure. What is
happening in Georgia is recognized as an epizootic outbreak of
African plague. All neighboring countries (Azerbaijan, Armenia,
Turkey) imposed a ban on pork import from Georgia, and even some
other countries (the Ukraine) followed suit.
South Ossetian media outlets immediately assumed the worst and
began speculating on a special operation run in Georgia with the
participation of US secret services. The assumption is based on the
fact that the outbreak was first reported in the areas of Georgia
populated with ethnic minorities - Samegreli, Guria, Imereti in
the western part of the country, Samtskhe-Javakhetia and Kvareli,
Telavi, Gurjaa, and Lagodekhi districts of Kakhetia in the east. The
districts of Kakhetia affected by the outbreak are mostly populated
with Ossetians, Azerbaijanis, and Dagestanis, Samtskhe-Javakhetia
with Armenians, and West Georgia with Megrelians.
South Ossetian media outlets suspect that Tbilisi launched a nationwide
purge and hopes to undermine the economy of the regions in question
and thus to force non-Georgians to emigrate.
The assumption is naive because cases are reported all over Georgia,
save for the mountainous districts and Ajaria. Besides, Azerbaijanis
and Dagestanis are Muslims who do not eat pork and this viral attack
against them (if that is what it really is) is pointless.
The defense ministries of Georgia and United States signed the accord
"On cooperation in the sphere of technologies and pathogens used in
germ warfare means and non-proliferation on relevant information"
in 2002. When US Senator Richard Lugar was visiting Tbilisi in 2004,
the two countries agreed to set up the Central Reference Laboratory
in the settlement of Alekseevka near Tbilisi. The bilateral treaty
on realization of Nunn-Lugar program was signed in August 2005.
Lugar visited Tbilisi again in late August 2006. Health Care Minister
Lado Chipashvili and Lugar visited the laboratory in Alekseevka
where "research into abatement of biological hazard to Georgia" was
already under way. Chipashvili told journalists that the laboratory
in question was trying to find antidotes to various viruses including
the bird flu virus. Lugar in his turn said the laboratory had cost
$30 million and that the US Administration was prepared to finance
construction of several similar objects in Georgia and had already
set $65 million aside for the purpose.
The parliament of Georgia ratified amendments to the 2002 accord
two weeks later. Strictly speaking, activity of the laboratory was
classified. Georgian Deputy Defense Minister, Mamuka Kudava, announced
that the United States had initially allocated $15 million for the
laboratory but upped the sum to $95 million. It became clear then
that the Pentagon was running several secret programs in Georgia. CIA
secret jails gave way to the US Army's secret biolabs.
The Alia newspaper reported some details of the Georgian-American
agreement. One of its clauses specifies the delivery of cattle to
the laboratory. Khronika, another Georgian newspaper, stated that
viruses from all over the world were to be brought to Alekseevka. Paata
Imnadze, the head of the Disease Control National Center, denounced
Khronika's report by saying that "We only intend to study the viruses
found in Georgia. A global dump for viruses is out of the question."
Reports from Georgia on how the outbreak is being handled are unusually
infrequent. No statistical data is available. The latest reports are
dated late May and early June when the death rate for hogs was 20,000
and 22,000 animals. Tbilisi's silence is alarming.
When the disease is conquered, this success is always reported. When
it is not, the general public ought to know.
Should the plague cross Georgian borders, all of Europe will be
in trouble. Nikolai Vlasov of Rosselkhoznadzor, a specialist in
African plague and other exotic germs, proclaims the virus capable
of destroying all piggery in Russia.
Public opinion in Georgia pins the blame for the outbreak on the
American laboratory. Hence the veil of secrecy. South Ossetian and
Abkhazian media outlets are convinced that the outbreak is actually a
result of germ warfare tests that went out of control, but in Georgia
itself everything is ascribed to dereliction of duty on the part of
laboratory personnel.
Specialists work on vaccines against diseases in laboratories, civilian
and military, all over the world. They come up with new strains that
will hopefully help against new and new germs. As a matter of fact,
they study floral and faunal diseases rather than human ones more
and more often. It fits the popular concept of non-lethal weapons
for future wars to be fought to subdue the enemy to the winner's
will rather than destroy him. In these wars, a strike at the enemy's
economy or food chain may accomplish the mission even without the
use of the regular armies.