7 Dec 2011

GENEVA / HILLARY CLINTON

Addressing the Biological Weapons Convention in Geneva US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned that new gene assembly technology for scientific research could be used by terrorists to create biological weapons. CH UNTV

Posted at: December 7, 2011 11:57 am

Duration: 02:12

Available in: SD

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Full script

STORY: GENEVA / HILLARY CLINTON
TRT: 2.12
SOURCE: CH UNTV 
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

SHOT DATE: 7 DECEMBER 2011, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

SHOTLIST:

1. Med shot, flag at the Palais des Nations
2. Wide shot, Conference title on projection on screen
3. Pan right, meeting
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State, United States: 
"Now, I know that some in the national community have their doubts about the odds of a mass biological attack or major outbreak. They point out that we have not seen either so far, and conclude the risk must low. But that is not the conclusion of the United States because there are warning signs and they are too serious to ignore." 
5. Cutaway, photographer 
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State, United States:  
"Less than a year ago, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula made a call to arms to brothers with degrees in microbiology or chemistry to develop a weapon of mass destruction."
7. Tilt up, from military badges to officer's face
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State, United States:   
"A mass outbreak could cripple an already fragile global economy by cutting off the movement of people, goods and sparking food shortages. And of course a victim of an attack could just as easily travel from on country to another. So shoring up our domestic and international defences will make it easier to detect and respond. We need public health systems that can quickly diagnose outbreaks, whatever their source and mobilize the right medical resources and personnel. By making any one country more secure we make the international community more secure at the same time."
9. Cutaway, delegate
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State, United States:     
"We need thoughtful, international dialogue about the ways to maximize the benefits of scientific research and minimize the risks. For example, the emerging gene synthesis industry is making genetic material widely available. This obviously has many benefits used for research but could potentially be used to assemble the components of a deadly organism."
11. Cutaway, journalist writing 
 12. Wide shot, US delegation listening

STORYLINE:

New gene assembly technology for scientific research could be used by terrorists to create biological weapons, United States (U.S.) Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton warned today (7 December) at the Biological Weapons Conference at the United Nations in Geneva. 
 
Speaking at the international meeting, Clinton told diplomats that the challenge was to "maximize the benefits of scientific research and minimize the risks that it could be used for harm."
 
The U.S. government also cited efforts by terror groups like al-Qaeda to develop biological weapons as a national security concern saying that these are "warning signs and they are too serious to ignore". 
 
Clinton also called for improved international co-operation to detect and respond to bio-outbreaks. She said there was a need for "thoughtful international dialogue about ways to maximize the benefits of scientific research and minimize the risks that it will be turned against us".