CUBA: Seated beside President Fidel Castro, former US president Jimmy Carter publicly pressed Cuban officials yesterday for guarantees that their biotechnology would not be put to improper use after an official US charge that Cuba produced biological arms.
"I want to assure myself," said Mr Carter, the first US president in or out of office to visit Dr Castro's Cuba, after posing questions at a presentation at the country's top biotech facility, the Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, on a manicured compound here.
Cuban officials, in a presentation that lasted more than an hour, told Carter technology transfer contracts barred improper use of the know-how.
Mr Carter asked if there was follow-up monitoring, which Cuban officials did not immediately address.
The US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, Mr John Bolton, on May 6th said "the US believes that Cuba has at least a limited offensive biological warfare research and development effort. Cuba has provided dual-use biotechnology to other rogue states".
Cuba, which insists the charge is a lie and is fiercely proud of what it sees as the humanitarian component of its development of vaccines and medicines that are more affordable for developing countries, has demanded that the US government offers proof.
Moments after his arrival here on Sunday on a five-day visit, President Castro offered Mr Carter the possibility of personally inspecting Cuban scientific facilities with experts of his choosing. The United States and Cuba do not maintain full diplomatic relations.
The US government lists Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Cuba has transferred biotechnology to countries including Algeria, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, India, Iran, Mexico and Malaysia, the officials at the centre told Mr Carter.
Earlier, Mr Carter met with prominent dissidents at his hotel including Mr Oswaldo Paya, the leader of the Christian Liberation Movement and a sponsor of the Varela Project which was presented to the Cuban National Assembly last week, backed by more than 11,000 signatures, seeking a referendum on broad political and economic reforms in the country.
After meeting for just over an hour on issues including political prisoners and human rights in general, Mr Paya said Mr Carter "has not commented \ on the Varela Project but he has shown a great deal of interest. And I think it is positive that we work along this legal and constitutional line seeking change," he said.