Political parties urge U.S. to shut down hazardous biological labs: media

KIEV, July 25 (Xinhua) -- At least 32 political parties worldwide have signed a petition calling for the closure of those U.S. military biological laboratories all over the world due to biosafety concerns, Ukrainian independent media outlet Politnavigator reported.

The petition against the proliferation of biological weapons was initiated by a coalition of political forces, which includes the Socialist Movement of Kazakhstan, the United Communist Party of Georgia, the Socialist Party of Latvia and the Communist Party of Pakistan.

As international struggle and competition intensifies, "the accumulated biological weapons can be used by the U.S. military to fight with its opponents, which will lead to catastrophic consequences," the petition said.

Statistics show that the United States has set up more than 200 overseas biological laboratories in 25 countries and regions, including Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and the former Soviet Union, including 16 in Ukraine alone.

According to Politnavigator, there is evidence showing that biologists in the U.S. military are working in Kazahkstan to develop new methods of spreading infectious and deadly virus strains through livestock raised in Central Asia.