US REJECTS SOVIET ANTHRAX CLAIM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000100420048-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 21, 2011
• Sequence Number: 48
• Publication Date: March 29, 1980
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sl Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/21: CIA-RDP90-00965R000100420048-6
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BOSTON GLOBE
29 MARCH 1980
US rejects Soviet anthrax claim
By William Beecher
Globe Staff
WASHINGTON - The Carter Administra-
tion has decided to reject categorically the So-
viet Union's claim that an anthrax epidemic-in
Sverdlovsk a year ago was caused by tainted
meat, not, as Washington suspects, by an acci-
dent at a germ warfare plant.
Well-placed officials say that` next week
diplomats in the American embassy in Moscow
probably will press for meetings with senior
Soviet biologists to discuss some of the intelli-
gence information that convinces. the United
States the Russians may be cheating on the
1972 treaty banning the development, produc-
tion or storage of biological warfare weapons.
"The Russians claim the deaths occurred
because of the sale of infected meat," one offi-
cial said. "What could have caused several
deaths, perhaps even a score. But not hun-
dreds. Our evidence is that hundreds died from
airborne pulmonary anthrax in the vicinity of i So the issue was raised both bilateral-
a plant in Sverdlovsk suspected for several ly, in Moscow, and at an already sched-
years to be making biological weapons." uled Geneva conference, which was
If the Russians reject the demand for de- 1 routinely looking into compliance with
tailed technical discussions, officials say, the the treaty.
United States might bring the matter before Officials were pleased that the Rus-
the United Nations Security Council. Under sians didn't just stonewall, but rather de-
suspected violations can be brought cided to answer with a formal letter
the treaty
,
to- the United Nations, which has authority to
call for an investigation that all signatories, of
which the Soviet Union is one, are pledged to
-cooperate with.
?-,-If the Russians veto such a probe, the Unit-
ed'. States. might then move the matter to the
UN General Assembly for a debate and. a call
for either censure or sanctions.
Sources say 'that US intelligence in 1975
came up with information suggesting the Rus-
sians, rather than. dismantling germ warfare
plants and destroying stocks, were expanding
production facilities in Sverdlovsk, Zagorsk
.and Omutninsk.
But the evidence was mostly from spy satel-
lite photos and was not regarded as conclusive.
Partly to avoid leveling charges that might
damage detente, a decision was made not to
raise the issue with the Russians at the time.
Since then, the intelligence community has
ruled out Omutninsk but concluded that there
is a likelihood that a banned substance is being
produced at Zagorsk, an open city to which
tourists may go, and Sverdlovsk, a closed city.
American intelligence learned about the in-
cident at Sverdlovsk shortly after it occurred
in Europe:'
.
igres appeared in the West with confirmatory "We shouldn't, jump ahead of
details within the last month or so that poli- ourselves," one official declared. "Our
cymakers concluded the case for a germ war- next step-is to request technical
discus-fare violation was strong. sions to see what more the Russians will
offer. Only after seeing their reaction will
we be in a position to decide on our next
step.,.
Soviet tanks -and armored personnel
carriers captured by the Israelis from the
Egyptians during the 1973, Arab-Israeli
war showed -they had been designed to
protect their crews against biological,
chemical or radiological weapons effects.
The biggest.concern of many planners
-is that the Soviet Union is secretly build-
ing up arsenals.of both chemical and germ
warfare weapons, giving itself the option
of using them in the event of a major war
claiming a natural epidemic. But asser-
tions that the disease was transmitted
through ingestion of infected meat con-
tradicts specific information the United
States has, that it was caused by spores, in
the air.. Even the burning of bad meat,
which the Russians did not claim hap-
pened, would have destroyed the spores,
analysts say.
If the Soviets should fail to come up
with a more convincing argument,. the
United States is considering asking for
admission of scientists from neutral coun-
tries for an impartial inspection of the
suspected facilities.
But some officials are worried that, if
the Russians are making biological weap-
ons and toxins at the plant, trey might be
able to clear out the evidence before in-'
spectors arrive. The United States would
then appear silly for having lodged the !
accusations.
The Central Intelligence Agency is
making .a study now to determine
w et er Fig SveidIovs tl" aanFccouid'be
sanitiz quic Ty`, without outside now -
edge. If so no request for anon-site in-
in April of last year. Butit was not until em- spection would be made
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/21 : CIA-RDP90-00965R000100420048-6