YEREVAN. – The U.S. Embassy in Armenia commented on the regular accusations by pro-Azerbaijani experts of creating a bacteriological weapon.

Azerbaijani media has recently published an interview by senior expert of the American-Azerbaijan Progress Support Fund Alexey Sinitsin where he accuses the US of creating a network of laboratories on the territory of Armenia and hints at their potential danger.

Armenian News-NEWS.am addressed the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan with a request to comment on the statement, not the first in its kind.

“The labs in question were renovated with funds from the United States but are fully staffed and operated by Armenian government experts from the Ministries of Health and Agriculture.  Armenian scientists, researchers, and experts work in these fully modernized labs to track, monitor, and evaluate the threats of diseases and pathogens that could damage Armenia’s agricultural sector or harm the Armenian people.  The labs were not only completely modernized with the latest equipment, but were also built to withstand Armenia’s seismic activity.  Though more costly to build earthquake-resistant buildings, these new labs offer more protection to the people of Armenia than Armenia’s pre-existing labs which were not earthquake-resistant.

Media covered the official openings of the labs, and the labs remain open to journalists to this day.  As we have no role in running the facilities, we refer you to the Armenian government for more information and encourage you to tour the facilities yourself, to see the quality of the equipment and buildings and to talk to the Armenian scientists working there.  This will give you an accurate picture of how these labs are helping Armenians, rather than relying on consistently debunked rumors circulated by so-called ‘experts’,” the statement by the embassy reads.