Cuba weapon claims disputed by Carter

Associated Press

HAVANA – Touring a major biotechnology lab with Fidel Castro, Jimmy Carter on Monday took issue with Bush administration claims that the island nation has exported technological know-how to rogue states for use in biological weapons.

Bush administration officials, however, said they were standing by their assertions that Cuba has at least a limited biological warfare program and has shared such biotechnology with rogue states. One allegation says those states are Iran and Libya, Carter said.

A State Department official also said Monday that Carter was not briefed on the weapons issue because his briefing occurred before the allegations by Undersecretary of State John Bolton last week in Washington.

During a Monday morning tour of the Center of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Carter told Castro and Cuba’s top scientists that he specifically asked White House, State Department and intelligence officials during a recent briefing if Cuba was transferring technology or other information that could be used in terrorist activities.

“There were absolutely no allegations made or questions raised,” Carter said. “I asked them specifically on more than one occasion if there was any evidence that Cuba has been involved in sharing any information to any other country on Earth that could be used for terrorist purposes.

“The answer from our experts on intelligence was, ‘No,’ ” Carter said.

The former American president noted the apparent contradictions and questioned their timing.

“These allegations were made, maybe not coincidentally, just before our visit to Cuba,” Carter said of Bolton’s concerns.

But Monday, Secretary of State Colin Powell repeated what Bolton said last week and added that it was not a new statement by the Bush administration.

Carter said Monday that Cuban scientists deny they have any technology transfer program with Libya and that a new program with Iran has not yet started – two countries considered rogue states by the U.S. government. Dr. Luis Herrera of the biotechnology center said Cuba had no program with Iraq, either.

Answering a question from Carter, Herrera insisted that Cuba monitors the use of technology transferred to other countries to ensure it is not used for terrorism.

“I just want to assure myself,” Carter said.