24 NOVEMBER 1990, Page 26

Sir: Charles Glass's article refers to my interview with Professor

Karl Heinz Lohs of Leipzig's Toxicological Institute and says he worked on East Germany's chemic- al warfare programme. This is not the case. Although Professor Lohs was one of the Soviet bloc's leading chemical warfare experts, he has an impeccable record of using his toxicological expertise for peace- ful purposes. He was an East German delegate at the Geneva disarmament talks and is known to have been deeply con- cerned about the military application of poison gas.

Officially, at least, there was no such thing as a chemical warfare programme in the GDR. Unofficially, however, the East Germans were engaged in all sorts of nasty research related to poison gas, all of it very secret. Professor Lohs, however, was not party to it.

Gwynne Roberts

Roberts and Wykeham Films Ltd, 74 Iffley Road, London W6