Posted on 05/14/2002 3:10:48 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Carter suggested Monday that Bolton's statement about biological weapons in Cuba was aimed at embarrassing him during his visit. "These allegations were made, maybe not coincidentally, just before our visit to Cuba," he said.
HAVANA -- Former President Carter's claim Monday that there was no evidence Cuba was spreading biological weapons provoked Bush administration officials to repeat charges that Cuba was sharing that technology with "other rogue states."
After accompanying Cuban leader Fidel Castro on a tour of a biotechnology lab in Havana, Carter said he had queried U.S. officials about allegations of Cuban research into weapons of mass destruction before his trip.
"I asked them specifically on more than one occasion if there was any evidence that Cuba has been involved in sharing any information to any other country that could be used for terrorist purposes," Carter said. "The answer from our experts on intelligence was `no.' "
But both the White House and the State Department contradicted Carter's remarks Monday.
"Cuba has at least a limited offensive biological weapons research and development effort, and has provided ... biotechnology to other rogue states," said Otto Reich, assistant secretary of state for the western hemisphere.
Reich said that view was the "consensus of what the Bush administration's experts believe about Cuba and its weapons ability," including U.S. intelligence agencies.
Carter's remarks came after U.S. Undersecretary of State John Bolton gave a speech last week charging Castro with exporting arms technology to terrorist states.
"Cuba has provided dual-use biotechnology to other rogue states," Bolton said. "We are concerned that such technology could support BW (biological warfare) programs in those states. ... We call on Cuba to cease all BW-applicable cooperation with rogue states and to fully comply with all of its obligations under the Biological Weapons Convention."
Dual-use technology can be used to produce either medicines or weapons.
The White House backed Bolton Monday.
"Mr. Bolton's remarks are based on information from a variety of sources. The administration stands behind the substance of those remarks," said a White House official.
But Cuban experts heatedly denied the charge Monday during Carter's visit.
"This has offended us because the first thing you need to produce biological weapons is the intention to do so," said Ricardo Bringas, director of bioinformatics at the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology on the outskirts of Havana. "We do not have that intention. It does not exist here."
Elias Rodriguez Garcia, another researcher at the lab, said, "These accusations are completely, absolutely false. ... We are very bothered by this because we have worked so hard for more than 15 years, from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m., to get to the level the United States has in biotechnology. But we are interested in biotechnology for lifesaving, not for death and war."
Bolton's accusations increased tensions between the two countries on the eve of Carter's visit, which was intended as a personal mission to increase understanding and cooperation between the two countries.
The State Department official did not offer any evidence to support his allegations, and did not say which countries he believes received bioweapons technology from Cuba.
Carter suggested Monday that Bolton's statement about biological weapons in Cuba was aimed at embarrassing him during his visit.
"These allegations were made, maybe not coincidentally, just before our visit to Cuba," he said.
A State Department official said Monday that specifics about Cuban weapon production were classified, having been gathered by intelligence operatives.
And the official disputed Carter's claim that a government briefer had cast doubt on Cuba's role as a biological weapons producer.
"This was a private conversation at Carter's request. The official who briefed him was not an expert on biological weapons," the official said. "The statements by Bolton reflected views of all relevant government agencies, including intelligence agencies."
Carter has a science background in nuclear technology. No one in his delegation is a bioweapons expert.
During Monday's briefing at the biotech lab, Carter and Castro, sitting side by side in the center's auditorium, asked questions and engaged in lively discussions with the center's director about Cuba's international technology-sharing agreements, its vaccine research and the fight against AIDS in Africa.
Dr. Luis Herrera, who runs the lab, told Carter that Cuba has 38 biotechnology projects in 14 nations, including China, Russia, Iran and the United Kingdom.
"And you have no plans for agreements with Libya or Iraq?" Carter asked.
"No," Herrera said.
He added that Cuba's agreements with each of the 14 nations call for monitoring the use of Cuban vaccine-making technology to ensure that it is not used for ill purposes.
"I just want to assure myself," Carter said.
For an undeveloped nation, Cuba has devoted itself to creating a world-renowned biotechnology industry, spending an estimated $1 billion over the past 15 years. Researchers here have developed new vaccines for Hepatitis B and Meningitis B, and are conducting clinical trials on a potential AIDS vaccine as well as a cancer-fighting vaccine.
Carter's six-day visit is the first by a U.S. president, in or out of office, since Castro declared the country communist after his 1959 revolution.
The former president diverted from his publicized schedule Monday, inviting Cuban dissidents Elizardo Sanchez and Oswaldo Paya to a private breakfast meeting.
Sanchez, a former University of Havana Marxist philosophy professor, now heads the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation and is the country's most well-known dissident.
He and Paya are responsible for the Varela Project, a yearlong petition drive that last Friday presented the Cuban government with 11,020 signatures from Cubans demanding free elections, freedom of speech and association, and the right to own their own businesses.
On Monday afternoon, the former president and his wife, Rosalynn, had lunch with Vice President Carlos Lage Davila and then toured the School for Social Workers and the Latin American Medical School.
Today, Carter plans to visit the Los Cocos AIDS sanitarium and an agricultural cooperative before addressing the Cuban people at the University of Havana tonight. In a rare move, the Cuban government has agreed to broadcast Carter's speech live on national television and radio.
Patty Reinert reported from Havana; Michael Hedges reported from Washington.
Exactly! Like they're going to have signs up "bio weapons experiment - don't touch."
And he can't even pronounce "nuclear"? Where'd he get it? Podunk State Ag College?
It's not an actual degree. I recently discovered that some graduates of the Naval Academy are awarded a degree in nuclear engineering, just because of their training. It's nothing like a four-year engineering degree.
Its nice to know that some things in this world never change, Jimmy will always be hopelessly inept.
Education: Attended Georgia Institute of Technology (1942), graduated from U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md. (1946).
It also states that he was an officer on the US' first experimental nuclear submarine, serving under Captain Hyman Rickover.
You did ask.
He's still a commie, like the rest of his ilk.
You bet I noticed!!
Nice guys don't undermine their own government every chance they get, especially while standing next to a dictator.
Jimmy, Jimmy - caught in a pack of lies.
Sure. Thanks. The truth is always welcome--especially after the relentless barrage of propaganda we get from the Left.
Very much so. Further, his training ended 56 years ago, so he's not exactly up with the latest developments.
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