Blinken Says Cannot Provide US Lawmakers Unredacted Info On Coronavirus Research

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd March, 2023) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday that the State Department cannot provide lawmakers with unredacted versions of documents regarding the United States' support for coronavirus research in China.

Blinken was pressed by US Senator Rand Paul on his refusal to provide requested information from the State Department on support for coronavirus research in China. Some US intelligence agencies have pointed to a laboratory in Wuhan, China as the origin point of the COVID-19 pandemic, while others have pointed to a market in the city.

"We cannot directly provide the unredacted cables," Blinken said during the hearing. "I believe that we can find a way to get you the information that you're looking for."

Paul's team has been offered a briefing on the information, Blinken said. However, Paul said he is not interested in receiving the information through the State Department's "spin" and interpretation.