Posted on 11/06/2002 6:24:16 PM PST by Shermy
PARIS (Reuters Health) - France formally contradicted Wednesday an article in the Washington Post alleging that it holds stocks of smallpox virus that could be used in biological weapons.
"Given the gravity of the charges brought against France, we requested a right of reply to the management of this newspaper," declared Bernard Valero, assistant spokesman at the State department.
The Washington Post cited sources indicating that five countries (the United States, France, North Korea, Russia and Iraq) had stocks of smallpox.
French authorities said that the only such stockpiles are in the United States and Russia.
"Since 1980 the World Health Organization (news - web sites) has prohibited storage of human smallpox by all laboratories, with the exception of the CDC in Atlanta, in the USA, and the VEKTOR center in Russia," said the spokesman. French authorities "scrupulously respect international agreements" in this area, he asserted. "Consequently, France no longer possesses any stocks of smallpox virus in its laboratories, whether civilian or military."
"The only research undertaken in France on smallpox is aimed at the development of a new-generation vaccine; it is carried out in authorized animals and is not dangerous to man," the spokesman stated.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.