Inclusion in this chronology does not necessarily indicate that a particular development is of direct or indirect proliferation significance. Some entries provide international or domestic context for technological development and national policymaking. Moreover, some entries may refer to developments with positive consequences for nonproliferation.

14 January 2002
Cuba begins process to contain worst outbreak of dengue fever since 1981. Although 95 of 165 municipalities are affected, most cases are concentrated in Havana.
—"Cuba launches campaign on virus," Morning Star, 15 January 2002.

15 January 2002
At the Cuba-Iran Intergovernmental Mixed Commission, a Cuban official reports that Iran could soon start producing the hepatitis B vaccine, along with interferon and recombinant streptokinase, because of cooperation with the CIGB in Cuba.
—Prensa Latina News Agency, 15 January 2002, "Iran, Cuba discuss cooperation in biotechnology, agriculture," Financial Times and BBC Worldwide Monitoring, 18 January 2002.

25 January 2002
India and Cuba announce efforts to strengthen bilateral trade and investment, including the construction of a plant to produce hepatitis B vaccine in Chandigarh, established as a joint enterprise between CIGB and Panacea Biotec.
—"Cuba to strengthen trade ties with India," Financial Times, 25 January 2002.

1 February 2002
Genetic Engineering News reports that the West Havana scientific pole consists of 51 biotechnological research institutes with products ranging from pharmaceuticals to cosmetics. These institutions rely on the concept of "integration," as they attempt to coordinate research and development; however the research and production of products is often done at the same site, with researchers spending most of their time at one site.
—Simon Reid-Henry, "Cuban biotech plans to build on past successes," Genetic Engineering News, 22(3), 1 February 2002.

19 March 2002
Carl Ford, US Undersecretary of State for Intelligence and Research, testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He says that the United States believes that Cuba has a limited offensive BW program and provides related technology to rogue states.
—"Statement by Carl W. Ford, Jr., Assistant Secretary for Intelligence and Research Before the Senate Committee on Foreign Hearing on Reducing the Threat of Chemical and Biological Weapons," 19 March 2002.

6 May 2002
John Bolton, US Undersecretary of State for Arms Control, states in a speech to the Heritage Foundation, "The United States believes that Cuba has at least a limited offensive biological warfare research and development effort. Cuba has provided dual-use biotechnology to other rogue states."
—John Bolton, "Beyond the Axis of Evil: Additional Threats from Weapons of Mass Destruction," Heritage Lectures 743, Heritage Foundation, 6 May 2002.

6 May 2002
Bush administration officials report that the United States believes that Cuba has been experimenting with anthrax and other deadly biological pathogens.
—Judith Miller, "Washington accuses Cuba of germ-warfare research," New York Times, 7 May 2002.

10 May 2002
In response to US allegations of bioweapons production, Fidel Castro states that any scientist involved in such work would be subject to Article 10 of the law against terrorist acts: "He who manufactures, provides, sells, transports, remits, introduces into the country, or has in his possession in any form or place chemical or biological agents or any other element from whose research, design, or combination may derive products of the nature described is subject to sanctions ranging 10 to 30 years of prison, life in prison, or the death sentence." He continues his denial stating, "No one has ever presented a single shred of evidence that our homeland has conceived a program that develops nuclear, chemical or biological weapons. The doors of our institutions are open....Cuba has absolutely nothing to hide."

[Note: On 9 May 2001, Fidel Castro spoke at Tehran University in Iran and was quoted by AFP as stating, "Iran and Cuba, in cooperation with each other, can bring America to its knees. The US regime is very weak, and we are witnessing this weakness from close up." This quote was then integrated into John Bolton's 6 May 2002 speech at the Heritage Foundation as evidence of Cuban-Iranian animosity towards the United States. The quote was translated from AFP into Spanish stating, "The people and governments of Cuba and Iran can send the United States to its knees." The Iran Press Service also recorded that Castro concurred with Ayatollah Khomeini that Iran and Cuba can defeat America "hand in hand." However, Castro denies these statements saying, "Those who know me know that I have never used that phrase....I have all of the cassettes and the transcriptions [sic] of those speeches, and I can prove what I have said." ]

Following these reports, Nelson P. Valdes, a professor of sociology at the University of New Mexico, writes that Fidel Castro did not say the words attributed to him in Tehran. He continues, "I have secured all the transcripts of all the public statements made by the Cuban leader while visiting Iran, and there is nothing that mildly resembles the alleged quote." Valdes found that, "neither the Iranian News Service (IRNA), nor the Cuban media carried the alleged Castro statement. Nor could it be found in files of the BBC Monitoring Service or the US government's Foreign Broadcasts Information Service."
—Cubavision, 10 May 2002, in "Castro refutes US John Bolton's statements on biological warfare," FBIS LAP20020511000019, 10 May 2002; Paul Elias, "Cuba has top biotechnology program; US worried about Cuba's bioweapon prowess," AP, 10 May 2002; "Iran and Cuba bolster ties, strengthen anti-US solidarity," Agence France Presse, 9 May 2001; "Castro, Ayatollah Khamenei suggest Cuban-Iranian cooperation to 'sink' United States," Agence France Presse in Spanish, 9 May 2001, in FBIS LAP20010509000084, 9 May 2001; "Cuba and Iran to fight jointly the United States," Iran Press Service, 10 May 2001; Nelson P. Valdes, "The problems of an Under Secretary of State: Fidel Castro, bioterrorism, and the elusive quote," Counterpunch, 28 May 2002.

12 May 2002
Alvarez Cambras travels to Syria to meet with the Syrian People's Assembly Speaker Abd-al-Qadir Qaddurah to discuss continued cooperation between the two countries.
—Syrian Arab Republic Radio, 12 May 2002; in "Syrian People's Assembly meets Cuban MP," FBIS GMP20020512000082, 12 May 2002.

13 May 2002
Colin Powell clarifies John Bolton's previous comments, stating, "We do believe that Cuba has a biological offensive research capability. We didn't say that it actually had such weapons, but it has the capacity and the capability to conduct such research."
—Colin Powell on-camera interview, US Department of State, Gander, Newfoundland, 13 May 2002.

13 May 2002
The Associated Press becomes involved in the debate over Cuban capacity for bioweapons production, citing Ken Alibek's 2001 Congressional appearance, in which he discussed Cuba's biotechnology capabilities. Alibek stressed the dual-use function of fermentation vats used in both vaccine and biological pathogen production. He also questioned Cuba's stress on drug manufacturing, instead of agricultural production, stating, "It's quite interesting that a poor country has this type of expertise in biotechnology when its people are hungry."
—"Cuban biotech boom: Risk or rescue," Associated Press reported in Global Exchange, 13 May 2003, <http://www.globalexchange.org>.

13 May 2002
An anonymous Bush administration official tells the Washington Post that Cuba has "a number of projects that are what could be dual-use things, but they're probably not....It's a question more of them exciting suspicions by not being open. I don't know of any tangible stuff that shows yes, they are making anthrax [or anything else]. There is stuff we don't know about."
—Kevin Sullivan, "Carter says he was told US had no proof Cuba shared bioweapons technology," Washington Post, 14 May 2002.

13 May 2002
Jimmy Carter visits CIGB on his trip to Cuba. After a briefing with scientists at the center, Carter states that there is no connection between Cuba and Libya in the field of biotechnology, and the relationship with Iran is one of legitimate technology transfer.

[Note: Although Carter was invited to tour the institute, several sources have reported that he was not accompanied by any trained scientific personnel able to verify the lack of biological weapons research at the site. However, neither the US nor Europe have requested access to inspect Cuba's biotechnology centers listed in Cuba's CBM submissions to the BWC.]
—Jimmy Carter, "Comments at Cuban Biotech Center," Havana, Cuba, 13 May 2002; Tim Padgett and Dolly Macarenas, "Inside Cuban 'bioterrorism': Time correspondents report on visits to two Cuban facilities cited by the US," Time, 14 May 2002, <http://www.time.com>.

14 May 2002
Correspondents from Time Magazine report on their tour of Cuba's CIGB and Finlay Institutes, observing that both are filled with equipment imported from Europe, Japan, and Brazil, and both handle bacteria and viruses necessary for viable vaccine production, but that could also be used in biological weapons production. Concepcion Campa states that the biotechnology industry has very little cash, and therefore cannot afford to produce anything other than the medicines and vaccines for export. Fidel Castro then invites any "neutral and impartial" inspector from any country to come and inspect Cuba's biotechnology institutes.
—Tim Padgett and Dolly Macarenas, "Inside Cuban 'bioterrorism': Time correspondents report on visits to two Cuban facilities cited by the US," Time, 14 May 2002, <http://www.time.com>.

15 May 2002
Middle East Newsline reports that US officials believe that Cuba has violated the BWC by offering biological weapons to Iran and Libya after Russia introduced Cuba as a potential BW supplier in the 1980s.
—"Cuba markets WMD technology to Iran, Libya," Middle East Newsline, 4(180), 15 May 2002.

15 May 2002
Jose de la Fuente, interviewed by the Boston Globe, states that no "bioterrorism products" were manufactured by Cuba during his term at CIGB (de la Fuente defected in 1998); however, he continues, "Cuba sold Iran recombinant materials intended to be used to make a hepatitis vaccine, but the technology could also be used for bioterrorism."
—Michael Kranish, "Biotechnology; Incubating biotech Cuba becomes biotech hotbed," Boston Globe, 15 May 2002.

16 May 2002
Otto Reich, US Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere, announces that the Bush administration is considering asking Cuba to open its biotechnology research facilities to weapons inspectors.
—Richard Lapper and Richard Wolffe, "US seeks to push Cuba on weapons inspectors," Financial Times, 16 May 2002.

22 May 2002
The Iranian ambassador to Cuba denounces US statements that Cuba is helping other nations to develop biological weapons.
—Radio Rebelde, Havana, 22 May 2002, BBC Worldwide Monitoring, 22 May 2002.

22 May 2002
The Center for Defense Information reports that Gen. (Ret.) Charles Wilhelm USMC, former commander-in-chief of the US Southern Command, told NPR, "During my three-year tenure, from September 1997 until September 2000 at Southern Command, I didn't receive a single report or a single piece of evidence that would have led me to the conclusion that Cuba was in fact developing, producing or weaponizing biological or chemical agents."
—Ben Friedman, "Cuba: Bioweapons threat or political punching bag?" Center for Defense Information, 22 May 2002, <http://www.cdi.org>.

30 May 2002
Jorge Ivan Mora Godoy, Cuban ambassador to the UN Conference on Disarmament, states that Cuban biotechnology products are available in over 40 countries, and "all transfers were governed by a bilateral agreement that established the use of the technologies only for peaceful purposes."
—"Cuba Accuses United States of Lying About Cuba Preparing Biological Weapons, Urges World to Impede 'Hegemonic Power'," 30 May 2002.

5 June 2002
Carl Ford, US Assistant Secretary for Intelligence and Research at the States Department, testifies before a subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He continues to support the statement made by John Bolton at the Heritage Foundation regarding Cuba throughout the question and answer session, but acknowledges that none of the sources used by US intelligence in producing these statements had any direct evidence of a Cuban BW program. Ford also raises the question of Cuba's relationship with terrorist groups and "rogue states," but acknowledges that the United States has no concrete evidence that Cuba has supplied these groups with biological weapons. However, he believes that Cuba has been exporting dual-use technology to states more capable of converting resources into a viable BW program.
—"Cuba's Pursuit of Biological Weapons: Fact or Fiction?" Hearing of the Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps, and Narcotics Affairs Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, 5 June 2002.

16 June 2002
Jose Morales, who is leading Cuba's effort to clone a cow, states that the cow-cloning project is a priority for Fidel Castro, and Cuban scientists are "very, very close" to producing such an animal. However, scientists are still unable to reproduce Ubre Blanca, the famed cow of the 1980s, in order to increase Cuban milk production. The scientists, according to Carlos Borroto, are opposed to human cloning, and will focus strictly on animals.
—"The Cubans are cloning, and a super cow may be next," Wall Street Journal, 16 June 2002.

7 July 2002
The Associated Press reports on the state of Cuba's biotechnology industry, stating that engineered protein erythropoietin is the "best-selling biotechnology drug," selling the drug in countries that do not recognize US or European patents. Cuba is currently negotiating new biotechnology trade and transfer agreements with 10 countries, including Brazil, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Ukraine, and already engages in trade or negotiations with fourteen others, including India, Algeria, and South Africa.
—Anita Snow and Paul Elias, "Cuba looks overseas to market biotech drugs," Associated Press, 7 July 2002.

17 July 2002
President Mugabe of Zimbabwe asks for Cuban assistance in fighting HIV/AIDS, calling on Cuba to extend its help in training Zimbabwe's medical, scientific, technical, and social personnel, as Cuba has done in other African nations stricken by the disease.
—"Zimbabwe: President sources anti-retroviral drugs from Cuba," Africa News, 18 July 2002.

19 July 2002
The Pedro Kouri Institute, in collaboration with CIGB and the Finlay Institute, is reportedly making progress on research of a vaccine against dengue. The three are basing their techniques on genetic engineering in order to produce the vaccine.
—Patricia Grogg, "Cuba makes progress toward dengue vaccine," Inter Press Service, 19 July 2002.

22 July 2002
Rodrigo Alvarez Cambras, a Cuban congressman and head of the Cuban-Iraqi Friendship Society, is received by Saddam Hussein in Baghdad.
—"National Radio News," Radio Rebelde, 22 July 2002; in FBIS LAP20020722000059, 22 July 2002.

23 July 2002
A new hepatitis C vaccine is being researched at the CIGB.
—Radio Rebelde, Havana, 23 July 2002; BBC Worldwide Monitoring, 23 July 2002.

24 July 2002
Cuba and Ghana renew their trade ties, as additional Cuban doctors and medical professors will be sent to Ghana. Cuba also agreed to cooperation with Ghana in hepatitis B vaccine production along with providing Cuban assistance to eradicate various other diseases.
—"Ghana to get more Cuban doctors," Deutsche Presse-Agentur, 24 July 2002.

23 August 2002
Granma Internacional publishes a story on the West Nile virus, offering Cuban assistance to the United States in combating the outbreak.

[Note: US officials and journalists viewed this story with some skepticism, concerned about Cuban familiarity and knowledge of the disease. However, no evidence has been found linking Cuba with the US outbreak of West Nile virus.]
—John Hughes, "West Nile virus: Part of Hussein's plan- via Cuba?" Christian Science Monitor, 18 September 2002.

26 August 2002
Panacea Biotec in Punjab, India, established as a joint venture with CIGB of Cuba, is ready to begin commercial production of the hepatitis B vaccine.
—"Panacea to start bulk production of hep B vaccine (RS40-CRORE plant to have a capacity to produce 80 million doses per annum)," Financial Times Information, 26 August 2002.

26 September 2002
The first major Sino-Cuban biotechnology cooperative project begins, as officials lay the groundwork for a new pharmaceutical plant in China—the Baitai Biopharmaceutical Corporation. This project is a joint effort between the Center of International Science in China and the Center for Molecular Immunology in Cuba, costing 120 million yuan. Baitai Corporation will focus on genetically engineered drugs for cancer treatment once the plant is completed in 2004.
—Gao Pei, "First Sino-Cuban biotechnology joint venture lays foundation for its plant in Beijing," Xinhua Domestic Service, Beijing, 26 September 2002; in "China, Cuba establish 1st biotechnology joint venture in Beijing," FBIS CPP20020926000204, 26 September 2002.

October 2002
Heber Biotec, the marketing arm of CIGB, is joining with Bioven Holdings of Malaysia to begin joint vaccine research within Malaysia. Bioven is also looking to form relationships with other Cuban research facilities in the future.
—"Bioven, Cuban firm in biotech joint venture," Financial Times, 2 October 2002; "Bioven in Cuban talks," Pharma Marketletter, 14 October 2002.

October 2002
Bruce Blair from the Center for Defense Information in Washington, DC is invited to tour nine Cuban biotechnology research facilities, along with a group of security, tropical disease, and other experts. After finishing the tours, Blair reports that all facilities appear to be engaged in legitimate medical and pharmaceutical research.
—"Bioterrorism Watch: Events since September 11, 2001," Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, University of Minnesota, 12 March 2003, <http://www.cidrap.umn.edu>.

1 October 2002
Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Cuba to the United Nations, states that Cuba in not in opposition to the work of the Ad Hoc Group of the BWC, and supports the implementation of the proposed BWC protocol increasing transparency. This statement corresponds with those made by Carlos Amat Fores during the Fifth Review Conference of the BWC, as he asserted, "...the fight against bioterrorism could also only be successfully achieved by a multilateral approach to ensure that the necessary transparency and basis of confidence was present."
—Statement by the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Cuba at the General Debate of the First Committee, 1 October 2002; Press Release: "Fifth Review Conference of the States Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention Continues General Debate," UN Documents, 19 November 2001, <http://www.unog.ch/news/documents/newsen/dc0145e.html>.

4 October 2002
Cuba and Tunisia agree to cooperate in the production of hepatitis B vaccine.
—Cubavision TV, Havana, 4 October 2002, BBC Worldwide Monitoring, 5 October 2002.

16 October 2002
Ana Belen Montes, a former DIA analyst, is sentenced to 25 years in prison for spying for Cuba.
—Rob Watson, "US jails woman who spied for Cuba," BBC News, 16 October 2002.

22 October 2002
Democratic Military Officers in Venezuela, a dissident group fighting for the removal of Hugo Chavez, post a story on its website claiming that Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro have personally met with Saddam Hussein and have promised the Iraqi leader biological weapons produced in part by Cuban scientists in Venezuela. The website states that the BW production facility was previously in Cuba, but was moved to Venezuela following John Bolton's accusations of Cuban BW production.
—"Dissident officers' website claims Castro, Chavez collaborating on bioweapons for Iraq," FBIS LAP20021223000048, 23 December 2002. <http://wwww.militaresdemocraticos.com>.

30 October 2002
CIGB director Luis Herrera Martinez states that Cuba possesses over 210 scientific research centers with over 12,000 scientists during a visit to the research institute by Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai.
—Cubavision TV, 30 October 2002, BBC Worldwide Monitoring, 30 October 2002.

24-29 November 2002
Cuba hosts the Biotechnology Havana 2002 Conference at the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology. The conference is focused on agro-biotechnology, addressing such topics as animal cloning, biotechnology in aquatic organisms, transgenesis in plants, functional genomics in plants, agro-bio products, plants as bioreactors, and pro-biotics and pre-biotics.
—"Biotechnology Havana 2002: Agro-Biotech in the new millennium," EduToursToCuba.com, <http://edutourstocuba.com>, accessed through <http://www.cigb.edu.cu>.

24-29 November 2002
Carlos Borroto, deputy director of CIGB, addresses the 2002 Havana International Biotechnology Congress, discussing Cuban agricultural biotechnology. In order to make plants more resistant to disease, research is being conducted in the transgenesis of plants at 15 biofactories. In addition to this research, the development of biopesticides, fertilizers, and veterinary vaccines is also very important to Cuban agriculture.
—Margarita Torres and Carlos Borroto, "Report highlights the importance of biotechnology in Cuba's agricultural sector," Radio Rebelde, 25 November 2002, FBIS LAP20021125000101, 25 November 2002.

5 December 2002
Carlos Borroto, deputy director of CIGB, comments that due to concern over biosafety and bioethics, there are no genetically modified plants or animals in Cuba's agriculture. However, Borroto reports that projects are underway to produce "new-generation products," for example, veterinary vaccines, nutritional additives for fish, and "genetic improvement."
—"Scientist explains results of, plans for transgenic research in Cuba," Financial Times Information, 5 December 2002.

12 December 2002
Agustin Lage reports that monoclonal antibodies are now in clinical tests, with one registered in Cuba.
—"Immunology centre director highlights Cuba's development of cancer," Financial Times Information, 12 December 2002.

16 December 2002
CIGB is involved in research to make sugarcane more resistant to pests, while also looking to the sugar's genome to increase resistance to pesticides and disease.
—Paul Elias, "Cuba looks to genetic engineering to help save sugar crop," Associated Press, 16 December 2002.

29 December 2002
A Cuban health expert reports that Cuban biotechnology products have been responsible for eradicating nine diseases, with the Cuban immunization program covering thirteen vaccines. Currently Cuba is conducting research on vaccines against dengue, AIDS, cancer, hepatitis C, cholera, and meningitis C.
—"Cuban health expert highlights success of country's biotechnology sector," Financial Times Information, 29 December 2002.

15 January 2003
CIGB opens new plant to produce a more effective vaccine [sic] to combat ticks [sic] (GAVAC).
—Radio Rebelde, 15 January 2003, BBC Worldwide Monitoring, 16 January 2003.

23 January 2003
The Finlay Institute develops a vaccine against typhoid, and is prepared to market it abroad.
—Radio Rebelde, 23 January 2003, BBC Worldwide Monitoring, 23 January 2003.

4 March 2003
FBIS assesses the Cuban IDICT Science Site for content, concluding that the Cuban government realizes the need for its scientists to have access to outside scholarship. FBIS also asserts that due to the detail of current Cuban research found on the site, its biotechnical research appears to be peaceful in nature.
—Cuban IDICT (Scientific and Technological Information Institute) Site, "Cuban science site touches on biotechnology, impact of tourism," FBIS LAP20030304000096, 4 March 2003.

25 March 2003
Kazakh and Cuban officials meet to discuss cooperation in the biotechnology sector along with other areas of bilateral trade and exchange.
—Interfax-Kazakhstan, 25 March 2003; in "Kazakh, Cuban officials discuss cooperation in biotechnology, petrochemistry," FBIS CEP20030325000186, 25 March 2003.

17 April 2003
GlaxoSmithKline PLC, is conducting trials of the Cuban vaccine for meningitis B in Europe and Latin America. If those trials are successful, the company plans to conduct further clinical trials in the United States.
--Chen May Yee, "Cutting-edge biotech in old-world Cuba," Christian Science Monitor, 17 April 2003, <http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0417/p14s03-stct.html>.

May 2003
The Center for Defense Information, a private research group based in Washington, D.C., has organized several visits to Cuba's biotechnology centers. In May 2003, one of these groups visited nine of them. The group's membership included a former commander of the US Southern Command, former U.S. assistant secretaries of state and defense, and a leading infectious-disease specialist, as well as bioweapons policy experts and senior research scientists. In a report issued in May 2003, its members write that while the germ-warfare accusations are difficult to prove or disprove, they did not believe the Cuban government was supporting or concealing activities that contravene the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention.
--Glenn Baker (editor), "Cuban Biotechnology: A First Hand Report," Center for Defense Information, May 2003, <http://www.uscubasecurity.org/content%20and%20cover.pdf>; Tracey Eaton, "A shot in the arm?: Cuba's biotech industry raises hope, suspicion," Dallas Morning News, 28 November 2003, <http://havanajournal.com/culture_comments/1073_0_3_0_C/>.

16 May 2003
Cuba is manufacturing and distributing free "drug cocktails" of anti-retroviral drugs to HIV/AIDS patients. The Cuban enterprise NOVATEC Laboratories is the producer of these drugs.
--Lilliam Riera , "Cuba produces anti-retroviral medicine for AIDS patients," Granma International, 16 May 2003, <http://granmai.cubaweb.com/ingles/mayo03/vier16/20sida.html>.

4 June 2003
Fidel Ovidio Castro, head of the Cloning and Transgenics Department at the Genetic and Biotechnology Engineering Center (CIGB) in Havana, states that Cuba's interest is to clone cattle to obtain milk that contains proteins of high therapeutic value. It has no interest in cloning humans.
--Lilliam Riera, "Cuban science is not working on human cloning," Granma International, 4 June 2003, <http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2003/junio/mier4/22clonac-i.html>.

24 June 2003
Christian Westermann, a chemical and biological weapons expert and an analyst in the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Intelligence and Research, states that despite being pressured to alter his intelligence reports to conform with the Bush administrations views, particularly in regards to intelligence on Cuba, he never did so.
--"Intelligence analyst claims pressure from administration," Bioterrorism Watch, 24 June 2003, <http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/bt/bioprep/btwatch/btwatch-jun-2003.html>.

26 June 2003
Professor Noel González informs Granma International that "a group of specialists from Havana's Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital plus scientists from the Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Center (CIGB) are working to produce a growth factor capable of developing blood vessels to strengthen those damaged by arteriosclerosis, thus aiding recovery from cardiac injury."
--Lilliam Riera, "Cuba to repair organs and tissue using gene injections," Granma International, 26 June 2003, <http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2003/junio/jue26/25genes-i.html>.

9 July 2003
Li Changchun, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, visits one of Cuba's genetic engineering and biotechnology facilities in Havana.
--"Senior Chinese Party Official meets Cuban Parliament Leader in Havana," Financial Times Information, 9 July 2003, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>.

15 July 2003
Indian biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies are contacting Cuban scientific institutes for the possible licensing of technology transfers of biotechnology products that would be produced in India.
--Anil Urs, "Indian bio co's look to Cuban tech for growth," Economic Times, 15 July 2003, <http://www.ciponline.org/cuba/cubainthenews/newsarticles/et071503Urs.htm>.

5 August 2003
Biologists from Vietnam's Municipal Department of Science, Technology and Environment and Cuba's Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology are meeting to discuss cooperative efforts for biotechnology research.
--"Vietnam and Cuba discuss biotechnology sector cooperation," Financial Times Information, 5 August 2004, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>.

11 August 2003
An article in Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin claims the recent spread of West Nile Virus in the U.S. is the result of cooperation between Saddam Hussein and Cuba's biological weapons program. [this report is incorrect; see 24 May 2004]
--Joseph Farah, "Terror link to West Nile? Saddam, Castro suspect in spread of mosquito-transmitted disease," Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin, 11 August 2003, <http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=34020>.

August 2003
The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Verification and Compliance submits its report Adherence and Compliance with Arms Control and Nonproliferation Agreements and Commitments to Congress. It includes the statement that "Cuba has at least a limited, developmental offensive biological warfare research and development effort. Such efforts are prohibited by the BWC."
--CBW Conventions Bulletin, No. 62 (December 2003), p. 29.

2 October 2003
The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee convenes a hearing on Challenges for US Policy Toward Cuba. In response to a question, Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere Roger Noriega asserts: "We continue ... to believe that Cuba has at least a limited, developmental, offensive biological weapons research and development effort and is providing dual-use biotechnology to other rogue states."
--CBW Conventions Bulletin, No. 62 (December 2003), p. 44.

6 October 2003
The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues a statement denouncing Roger Noriega's accusation that Cuba is pursuing a biological arms program. It states: "[Noriega] has lied shamelessly once again, trying to link Cuba to bio-terrorism." Further: "As before, Cuba is calling on the American Administration once more to demonstrate that it does not lie unashamedly or to present at least one proof that supports its mendacious accusations related to a developing program of biological weapons on the part of our country."
--CBW Conventions Bulletin, No. 62 (December 2004), p. 44.

3 November 2003
Biotechnology has generated 200 Cuban patents in more than 50 countries and an additional 500 patent applications have been filed in several countries. Annual receipts from biotechnology products are estimated to be in the tens of millions of dollars.
--Joaquin Oramas, "Havana Trade Fair - U.S. companies take the Europeans' place this year," Granma International, 3 Nov. 2003, <http://granmai.cubaweb.com/ingles/2003/noviembre03/lun3/44feria-i.html>.

10 December 2003
Carlos Borroto, Vice-Director of the Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Center (CIGB), asserts that Cuba has not released any genetically-manipulated commercial products in the last 15 years because Cuban scientists are concerned that such products may be harmful to humans or environment.
--FOCAL, Chronicle on Cuba, December 2003, p. 3, <http://www.cubasource.org/pdf/Chronicle0312.pdf>.

22 December 2003
Malaysia's Bioven and Havana's CIGB establish a new joint company, Heber Bioven, for the purpose of manufacturing Cuban biotechnology products in Malaysia for the Southeast Asian market.
--"Cuba Inc.'s capital investment overseas more welcome than Das Kapital," AFP, 22 December 2003, <http://www.cubanet.org/CNews/y03/dec03/22e4.htm>.

	Updated March 2007