Lavrov to head to Armenia to sign memorandum ensuring access of Russian specialists to U.S.-funded Armenian bio-labs

Russia’s foreign minister Sergey Lavrov will visit Armenia in November, Russian Kommersant reports citing its sources.

In the sidelines of the visit a memorandum guaranteeing access of Russian experts to bio laboratories established in Armenia with Pentagon funds will be signed.

The paper says Russia has many times criticized the USA for “military medical-biological activity” near Russian borders and promised to get access to the labs operating in neighboring countries.

Another source confirmed to the daily that the text of the memorandum is ready and is being agreed between the ministries of the two countries.

He said that the memorandum envisages cooperation between the two countries in medical-biological sector. Among those to visit bio-labs operating in Armenia will be specialist of Russia’s Health and Defense Ministries.

The laboratories upgraded by U.S. funds where biological studies are being carried out, study the viruses and strains acting in Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Kazakhtsan.

Earlier, spokesperson of Armenia’s MFA Anna Naghdalyan told Aysor.am that the bio-labs acting in Armenia ensure high level of sanitary-epidemiological control with exclusively Armenian specialists are working there.

“The laboratories belong to Armenia and are of civil nature. In case of Armenia there cannot be spoken about military presence,” Naghdalyan stressed.

Russian ambassador to Armenia Sergey Kopirkin stated earlier that Armenia and Russia are working out an agreement about non-presence of foreign militaries in bio-labs acting in Armenia.