Biological labs in Armenia ‘function under our full jurisdiction’, top national security official says in Moscow

The biological research laboratories in Armenia function only under our jurisdiction subject to our government agencies’ total control, the secretary of the National Security Council (NSC) said in Moscow today as he addressed a high-ranking forum bringing together counterparts from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

Artur Grigoryan told the participants of the seventh interstate event that the Armenian government is now amid processes of drafting a biosafety and biodefense law to address the existing problems in the sector.

“It [the proposed legal measure] will outline the authorities and duties of government institutions, approving specific requirements for research and rules for the manufacturing, use, storage, import, export and transit delivery of substances posting biological hazards. The main principle that serves as our guideline here is the transparency of the sector and the unconditional and unequivocal implementation of the clauses enshrined in the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological and Toxin Weapons and On their Destruction.

“In that context I would like to put a special emphasis on the fact that the biological laboratories on the territory of Armenia function only under our jurisdiction and are subject to our government institutions’ [control], hiring exclusively local professionals,” he added.

According to the NSC's press service, Grigoryan also briefed the attendees on the activities of the Armenia’s peace mission in Syria, thanking Nikolay Patrushev, the secretary of the Russian Security Council, for the high-level organization of the event and a warm reception and hospitality.

He also addressed the situation in Afghanistan, agreeing that the drug trafficking in that country remains a major challenge also for many CIS member states (and affirming Armenia’s active engagement in the international fight against the illegal trading in drugs).

As a major trend of cooperation with Afghanistan, Grigoryan also stressed the role of the Armenia’s peacekeeping activities in the country (as part of different international missions), reiterating the state commitment to establishing peace and security in Afghanistan.

Grigoryan called a special attention to the fact that no international organization has so far rated Armenia as a terrorist state. “We, as a country, are well situated in that respect as opposed to many other world countries,” he added.

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