美国总统拜登26日宣布，他已下令情报机构就新冠肺炎的起源展开进一步调查，并在90天内向他提出报告。（美联社档案照）
美国总统拜登26日宣布，他已下令情报机构就新冠肺炎（COVID-19）的起源展开进一步调查，并在90天内向他提出报告，包括对中国提出特定问题，美国将与国际社会共同施压中国参与相关调查。
拜登说，美国情报机关对新冠病毒起源看法分歧，包括可能是遭感染的动物传染给人类，抑或是肇因于实验室意外而洩漏；他在本月初收到相关报告，并要求进一步调查。
拜登在白宫发表的声明中表示，早在2020年初新冠疫情出现时，他就呼吁美国疾病管制暨预防中心（CDC）向中国瞭解病毒情况，以便更有效地对抗疫情。由于美方检查人员未能在疫情爆发的前几个月进驻，而无法对疫情起源展开调查。
拜登说，在他今年3月就任总统后不久，便下令国家安全顾问苏利文责成情报机关，准备一份关于疫情起源的最新分析报告，包括病毒是来自与受感染动物的接触，还是来自实验室事故。他在本月稍早前接获报告，并要求进一步追踪调查。目前美国情报机关已就2种可能的情况达成共识，但尚未得出最终结论。
拜登说，他要求情报部门加倍努力，蒐集和分析更接近最终结论的资讯，并在90天内向他报告。他还要求美国的国家实验室和其他机构参与调查，并要求情报机关让国会充分瞭解他们的工作。
拜登还说，美国将持续与世界各地志同道合的伙伴合作，敦促中国参与全面、透明、以证据为基础的国际调查，并提供所有相关资料和证据。白宫声明全文全文：
Statement by President Joe Biden on the Investigation into the Origins of COVID-19MAY 26, 2021 • STATEMENTS AND RELEASES
Back in early 2020, when COVID-19 emerged, I called for the CDC to get access to China to learn about the virus so we could fight it more effectively. The failure to get our inspectors on the ground in those early months will always hamper any investigation into the origin of COVID-19.
Nevertheless, shortly after I became President, in March, I had my National Security Advisor task the Intelligence Community to prepare a report on their most up-to-date analysis of the origins of COVID-19, including whether it emerged from human contact with an infected animal or from a laboratory accident. I received that report earlier this month, and asked for additional follow-up. As of today, the U.S. Intelligence Community has “coalesced around two likely scenarios” but has not reached a definitive conclusion on this question. Here is their current position: “while two elements in the IC leans toward the former scenario and one leans more toward the latter – each with low or moderate confidence – the majority of elements do not believe there is sufficient information to assess one to be more likely than the other.”
I have now asked the Intelligence Community to redouble their efforts to collect and analyze information that could bring us closer to a definitive conclusion, and to report back to me in 90 days. As part of that report, I have asked for areas of further inquiry that may be required, including specific questions for China. I have also asked that this effort include work by our National Labs and other agencies of our government to augment the Intelligence Community’s efforts. And I have asked the Intelligence Community to keep Congress fully apprised of its work.
The United States will also keep working with like-minded partners around the world to press China to participate in a full, transparent, evidence-based international investigation and to provide access to all relevant data and evidence.