Washington, Apr 14: The United States wants the world’s best scientists to find out where and how the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic began in order to reduce the risk of a recurrence, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said.
“We want the globe’s best scientists, including Chinese scientists, to be participants in making sure that we evaluate where this began, where it originated, how it was moved around the globe,” Pompeo told Bild TV on Monday.
Pompeo mentioned Chinese “wet markets” as a probable source of the infection and explained that a comprehensive fact-based, not political study is needed to make sure that “no country ever causes something like this to happen again.”
US officials, including Pompeo and President Donald Trump, have repeatedly accused China of attempting initially to cover-up the novel coronavirus outbreak and later launching a disinformation campaign to suggest that it may have originated in the United States.
Asked if China should pay for the pandemic, Pompeo said that there will be a time for recriminations, but now the focus should be on reopening the United States and other economies after the coronavirus-induced lockdowns.
(AGENCIES)
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