“Biological warfare” becomes informative in UN debates

The alleged production of biological weapons in Ukrainean accusation for which Russia blames the United States, arrived this Friday at the UN Security Council, where the debates did not leave many certainties, except that it is above all an informative battle or the story.

Russia had urgently convened this debate on Thursday night, thus trying to win the initiative after a series of sessions in recent weeks of both the Council and the General Assembly, where it became clear that Moscow was acting on the defensive and that it had remained isolated internationally.

Echoes of Colin Powell – whose name was cited today by the Russian ambassador – resounded in the room, when in 2003 he presented to the Council the alleged definitive evidence that Saddam Hussein’s Iraq was manufacturing chemical weapons of mass destruction, an accusation that turned out to be unfounded but it served to justify the invasion of the Arab country by US troops.

The Council session began with a presentation by Rosemary DiCarlo, Assistant Secretary General of the UN for Political Affairs, who confirmed that Russia has used cluster bombs in populated areas in its war in Ukraine and has attacked civilian facilities at least 26 times. “These are inexcusable attacks, they must be investigated and those responsible must be held accountable.”

More anticipated was the report by Izumi Nakamitsu, who in her capacity as High Representative for Disarmament Affairs could confirm or deny the Russian accusations: “The UN He is not aware of any biological weapons program.” in Ukraine, he said, but acknowledged that there is no independent verification mechanism to turn to in case of disputes.

BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS OR ALTERNATIVE TRUTHS

Ambassador Vasili Nebenzia, who has become the diplomatic face of Russiapresented to the Council what he said was only “a small part” of the large amount of evidence that the US Department of Defense was developing a biological weapons program in thirty laboratories in Ukraine, through agreements with the Ministry of Health.

There, in some cases very close to the border with Russia”took placevery dangerous biological experiments” -he stated-, for which they used three main vectors to spread pathogens: migratory birds, bats and invertebrate animals such as lice and fleas.

“Personal of United States with diplomatic immunity has directed these experiments”, said.

For example, he spoke of “a transfer of 141 containers with bat hectoparasites” without any international control, and wondered if they spread throughout Europe.

Nebenzia said that these tests show that United States is somehow relocating high-risk experiments from its territory and moving them to Ukrainewhich -he affirmed- demonstrates the “cynicism” of the leaders of Ukraine who say they are worried about the fate of their people.

The ambassador of United StatesLinda Thomas-Greenfield, replied that all of her country’s activities in Ukraine are transparent, and they help Ukraine “proudly and openly” to manage health laboratories where “There is no (military) program, no weapons, not even on the border with Russia or anywhere.”

The diplomat indicated that Moscow had come this Friday to the UN with a script set to “fabricate pretexts”, “use the Security Council” and “justify the actions of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin”, but “They are failing to create an alternate reality even among the Russians.”

“The Russians themselves are tired of so many lies”he said, citing examples of criticism of their rulers by athletes or protesters on Russian streets.

CHINA CONTINUES SUPPORTING RUSSIA

In the turn of the word, United States was strongly supported by the United Kingdom, France and the European countries – Norway, Ireland and Albania – but the other countries were more lukewarm in their criticism of Russia and did not take a stand on the issue of chemical weapons.

If there were doubts about Beijing’s constant support for Moscow, it became more than clear with the intervention of the Chinese ambassador Zhang Jun, who spoke of “relevant information (on biological weapons) submitted by Russia” and the need to adequately address the concerns of Russia to accept multilateral verification.

And Zhang went further by distancing himself from United States: stated that this country has “356 laboratories around the world that say they are transparent”so he asked for access to them”to get clarifications and draw our own conclusions.”

Not the slightest criticism of the Russian attacks on Ukraine and recalled again that his country wants a generic “end of hostilities” to be achieved in “negotiations between Russia and Ukraine that the international community should encourage.