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U.S.: Russia used Cuba as front
for biological weapons tech

Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Wednesday, May 15, 2002

WASHINGTON Ñ Cuba has been marketing biological weapons components and technology to Middle East clients since the mid-1980s, a senior administration officials said. Tuesday.

"Cuba has been involved in discussions with other rogue states, with Iran and Libya, in ways that we find very troubling," the official said.

The Bush administration is monitoring talks between Cuba and such prospective clients as Iran and Libya for the transfer and technology as well as components of weapons of mass destruction, Middle East Newsline reported.

"It's not clear what Cuba has gotten out of this relationship [with Iran]," a U.S. intelligence source said. "It is clear that Iran has obtained a considerable amount of weapons technology. In many cases, Russia has used Cuba as a front for technology that Moscow cannot transfer."

At first, officials said, Iran and Libya sought help from their longtime suppliers such as China and Russia. But when those two countries hesitated the Middle East countries turned to Cuba. Russia introduced Iran, Iraq and Libya to Cuban suppliers in the mid-1980s.

The officials said Washington has not yet determined whether Cuba actually exported biological weapons components or technology to Libya. But they said U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Cuba has transferred dual-use WMD as well as advanced electronic aerospace components to Iran.

Officials said Cuba has been violating the Biological Weapons Convention by offering expertise and components related to biological weapons to Iran and Libya. They said Teheran and Tripoli have developed chemical weapons and are looking for help in completing biological warheads for missiles.

The senior administration official said the United States has also raised the issue of Iran's biological weapons program with Russia. He said Washington has discussed allegations that Moscow is helping Iran's ballistic missile and chemical weapons program as well as building a nuclear infrastructure that could be used for the production of chemical weapons.

For its part, officials said, Iran has offered to invest in Cuba's defense industries.

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