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Updated August 2008
Biological Chronology
1994-1999
Except for general knowledge items, this annotated chronology is based on the data provided by the source identified for each entry. Public sources often provide conflicting information on classified military programs. In some cases we are unable to resolve these discrepancies, in others we have deliberately refrained from doing so to highlight the potential influence of false or misleading information as it appeared at the time. In many cases, we are unable to independently verify claims. Hence in reviewing this chronology, readers should take into account the credibility of the sources employed here.
Inclusion in this chronology does not necessarily indicate that a particular development is of direct or indirect proliferation significance. Thus, some entries provide international or domestic context for technological development and national policymaking, while others report on happenings that may have indirect effects on proliferation or nonproliferation.
1994
The Centre of Molecular Immunology becomes operational. Its aim is to perform R&D that results in the commercialization of biopharmaceuticals and monoclonal antibodies.
19 August 1994
Fidel Castro's daughter, Alina Fernandez, appears on Larry King Live, and accuses Castro of leading a BW program within Cuba. She states, "Cuba, many years, accused the United States of creating these viruses that were affecting the Cuban people, and in reality, they're creating these viruses in laboratories in Cuba." She continues, "In fact, he [Castro] construct some of those virus...in a laboratory belonging to the armed force."
— Larry King, "Fidel Castro's daughter on the latest from Cuba," CNN, 19 August 1994.
14 October 1994
Eight Cuban science institutions sign an agreement with China's International Scientific Center to undertake joint scientific development. The Cuban institutions involved in the cooperative project are Neuronic, Inc (develops equipment for brain research); Eron, Inc (produces blood by-products); CIGB; Finlay Institute; Center for Molecular Immunology; Dalmer Laboratories; and the Immunological Testing Center (SUMA).
— Prensa Latina News Agency, 14 October 1994, "Scientific organizations sign agreements with PRC," BBC Worldwide Monitoring, 25 October 1994.
1995
The National Centre for the Production of Laboratory Animals becomes operational. This Center specializes in raising laboratory animals, as well as performing R&D pertaining to veterinary bioproducts and toxicology.
3 July 1995
Cuba's Biopreparations Center has reportedly started producing hepatitis B vaccine for export to Iran.
— "Iran Pharma links, higher spending," Pharma Marketletter, 3 July 1995.
11 September 1995
An agreement has been signed between the Pasteur Institute in Iran and Hebor Biotech SA of Cuba for the transfer of hepatitis B vaccine production technology to Iran. As part of the agreement, Iranian scientists will receive training in Cuba in biotechnology.
— "Pasteur Institute (Iran)/Heber Biotech study," Pharma Marketletter, 11 September 1995.
July 1996
Cuban officials are to begin human tests on a new AIDS vaccine developed by CIGB scientists.
— Dalia Acosta, "Tests to start on AIDS vaccine," Inter Press Service, 28 July 1996.
4 October 1996
Cuba and Algeria agree to terms of pharmaceutical cooperation that brings Algeria assistance to perform research and development related to vaccines and medicines. The agreement also calls for Cuba to train Algerian scientists and for the two countries to collaborate on epidemiological research. This is part of a continuation of medical-related exchanges between the two countries.
— "Cuba, Algeria sign medical cooperation treaty," Xinhua News Agency, 4 October 1996.
1997
Cuban biotechnology gains recognition as it licenses its meningitis B vaccine, the only vaccine of its kind, to the multinational pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline.
— Geoff Dyer, "YM Bio springs a Cuban surprise: The Caribbean island is winning a reputation for its talents in drug discovery," Financial Times, 14 June 2002.
29 April 1997
Cuba ratifies the Chemical Weapons Convention.
April 1997
In a communication to the United Nations Secretary-General, Cuba accuses the United States of having dispersed the insect Thrips palmi to damage Cuba’s agriculture. It requests that a consultative meeting of the BWC State Parties be convened to investigate the event. This meeting is scheduled for August 1997.
— Cuban Government, "Note verbale dated 28 April 1997 from the permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General," UN document A/52/128, 1997.
27 May 1997
Cuba is reportedly attempting to clone rabbits with the same technique used by scientists who cloned "Dolly," the sheep.
— Jane's Foreign Report, 27 May 1997.
17 June 1997
Alvarez Cambra discusses Saddam Hussein's medical condition, stating that he led a group of specialists to Iraq 20 times over the past two decades in order to treat Saddam.
— Prensa Latina, "Cuban orthopedist denies reports on Saddam Hussein's health," 17 June 1997.
August 1997
The Consultative Meeting is held to consider Cuba’s allegation of the United States having deliberately dispersed Thrips palmi over the island to damage its agriculture. After hearing presentations from both sides, the meeting decides that is not possible to reach a definitive conclusion on Cuba’s allegation.
— S.I. Soutar, Report to All State Parties to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention on the Results of the Formal Consultative Meeting of State Parties to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention held from 25-27 August 1997, (Geneva: United Kingdom Permanent Representation, 1997).
1998
The agreement made in 1995 between Iran and Cuba to provide Iran with Cuban technology for production of the hepatitis B vaccine is expanded, to now also include transfers of interferon, along with other medicines, to Iran from Cuban research centers.
— "Cuban government doesn't give Iran germ warfare secrets: ambassador," Associated Press, The Guelph Mercury, 22 May 2002.
February 1998
Manuel Cereijo, professor at Florida International University, composes a list of potential Cuban BW capabilities and intentions. He states that Cuba has invested more than $1 billion in equipment with limited commercial application, including three 10,000 RPM centrifuges. Cereijo implies that Cuba would most likely target the United States with any agents it possesses.
— "Cuba's Bacteriological Warfare Efforts," Manuel Cereijo, Global Security.org, February 1998, <http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/cuba/oagmc002.htm>.
31 March 1998
General Charles Wilhelm, Commander of the U.S. Southern Command, testifying before the US House International Relations Committee, comments on Cuban biotechnology capabilities, stating, "I think the indications that we have received is they [Cuba] do have the capability to produce those kind of substances. But they have not weaponized them....Any nation with a pharmaceutical industry — and Cuba certainly has that — can engage in the production of biological agents...."
— "Counter narcotics policy towards Columbia, Hearing of the House International Relations Committee," Federal News Service, 31 March 1998.
11 April 1998
Granma publishes Fidel Castro's interview to Dominican journalists, in which he states, "We have thousands of scientists and specialists, large research centers, but the thought to develop biological weapons never crossed our mind. Never."
— Igor Varlamov, "Cuba does not seek mass destruction weapons, Castro says," Itar-Tass News Agency, 11 April 1998.
19 April 1998
Cuba and Iraq sign an economic and technical cooperation protocol to increase the sale of Cuban medicine to Iraq, and to increase cooperation in the health sector.
— Cubavision Network, 19 April 1998; in "Commerce, technical cooperation protocol signed with Iraq," 19 April 1998.
25 April 1998
General John Sheehan, U.S. marines (ret.), interviews Fidel Castro on the possibility of Cuban BW production. Castro responds, "What do you think, we are stupid? We don't want to give the US a pretext for an attack." Sheehan states that eight buildings are involved in biotechnology research, and was invited by Castro to tour any buildings he was interested in seeing. However, Representative Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) responds that Castro is using these facilities in order to develop BW capabilities, and dismisses Sheehan's claims due to his past friendly relations with Cuban military officers.
— George Gedda, "Taken by Castro's charm, Marine general raises hackles of U.S. anti-Castroites," Associated Press, 25 April 1998.
6 May 1998
The U.S. intelligence community issues a report on the possible Cuban threat to U.S. security. Among its findings is: "Cuba's current scientific facilities and expertise could support an offensive BW program in at least the research and development stage. Cuba's biotechnology industry is one of the most advanced in emerging countries and would be capable of producing BW agents." The report does not state that Cuba has a BW program.
— Defense Intelligence Agency, in coordination with the Central Intelligence Agency, Department of State Bureau of Intelligence, National Security Agency, and the United States Southern Command Joint Intelligence Center, The Cuban Threat to U.S. National Security, 6 May 1998, <http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/cubarpt.htm>.
6 May 1998
William Cohen forwards a letter to the Armed Services Committee as an introduction to the DIA report on Cuba. He states that the intelligence community specifically researched Cuban ability to produce biological and chemical weapons while gathering information for the report. Cohen continues that he "remain[s] concerned about Cuba's potential to develop and produce biological agents, given its biotechnology infrastructure..."
— William Cohen, "Transmittal Letter," Secretary of Defense William Cohen to Strom Thurmond, preface to DIA report, 6 May 1998.
22 June 1998
A visiting delegation from the Ukraine signs an agreement with Cuba calling for bilateral exchange in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry. Ukraine will continue to provide for registration fee exemptions for Cuban medicine and medical equipment exports.
— "Ukraine signs trade agreement with Cuba," Intelnews news agency, Kiev, 23 June 1998, BBC Worldwide Broadcasting, 25 June 1998.
20 July 1998
Reporter Martin Arostegui writes that Cuban defectors have reported on BW plants throughout Cuba. Arostegui states that military biotechnicians at the Luis Diaz Soto Naval Hospital have experimented with the pathogens that cause anthrax, brucellosis, equine encephalitis, dengue fever, hepatitis, and tetanus, among others. He claims that there are five chemical and biological weapons plants in Cuba, and cites "a classified annex to the Pentagon's final report to Congress" stating, "...at least one research site is run and funded by the Cuban military to work on the development of offensive and defensive biological weapons." There is no independent confirmation of these claims.
— Martin Arostegui, "Fidel Castro's deadly secret: Castro's biological- and chemical-weapons arsenal," Insight on the News, 14(26): 7, 20 July 1998.
November 1998
James Larrick, president of the Palo Alto Institute for Molecular Medicine, states, "The clean rooms, fermenters, and purification lines in Cuba's drug factories are top-notch... 'some of the best in the world'."
— Jocelyn Kaiser, "Cuba's billion-dollar biotech gamble," Science, vol. 282, 27 November 1998, p. 1626.
March 1999
The Biopreparations Center (BIOCEN), located in Bejucal, opens a new plant specifically designed for vaccine production under a $2 million renovation project.
— Joaquin Oramas, "New biotechnology plant begins operations," Granma International Online Edition, 16-22 March 1999. <http://www.granma.cu/ingles/index.html>.
March 1999
BIOCEN becomes the first biotechnology company in Cuba to receive ISO-9002 international quality certification. This authorizes BIOCEN production of vaccines, media culture, and other products, and helps these products gain access to industrialized markets.
— Patricia Grogg, "Cuban biopharmaceuticals look for ticket to Europe," Inter Press Service, 21 April 1999.
11 March 1999
An Iraqi parliamentary delegation completes an official trip to Cuba, during which it visited the Frank Pais Scientific Research Center and the Molecular Immunology Research Center.
— Radio Havana (internet version), "Iraqi parliamentary delegation ends visit," 11 March 1999.
21 April 1999
Concepcion Campa, director of the Finlay Institute, announces that vaccines designed to fight hemophilic influenza, typhoid fever, and pneumonia are in the early research stages, while medicines to prevent cholera, infant and adult tetanus, and a vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis are all in advanced stages of research. The CIGB is the lead agency for 10 of 27 new development projects under the National Immunization program, and has already been successful with developing the epidermal growth factor.
— Patricia Grogg, "Cuban biopharmaceuticals look for ticket to Europe," Inter Press Service, 21 April 1999.
June 1999
In a book written by Ken Alibek, a defector from the Soviet BW program, is the claim that Alibek’s boss, Major General Yuri Kalinin, was convinced that Cuba had an offensive BW program after his visit to this country in 1990. He offers no hard evidence to support his statement.
— Ken Alibek, with Stephen Handelman. Biohazard: The Chilling True Story of the Largest Covert Biological Weapons Program in the World -- Told From Inside by the Man Who Ran It, (New York: Random House, 1999).
31 July 1999
31 July 1999 SmithKline Beecham (GlaxoSmithKline since 2001) will begin selling the Cuban meningitis B vaccine. Reportedly, Cuban sales of meningitis B vaccine was $150 million during 1989-1995.
— "Vaccine gives shot in arm to Cuban biotechnology sector," Financial Times, 31 July 1999.
September 1999
A new production facility at BIOCEN will begin producing the hepatitis B vaccine.
— "Cuban hep B vaccine production," Pharma Marketletter, 15 September 1999.
This
material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin Center for
Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and
does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently
verified by NTI or its directors, officers, employees, agents. Copyright © 2008
by MIIS.
