us britain hit out at russia as chemical watchdog meets
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

for a deadly chemical attack in April

US, Britain hit out at Russia as chemical watchdog meets

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today US, Britain hit out at Russia as chemical watchdog meets

Syrian child receiving treatment at a small hospital in the town of Maaret al-Noman
The Hague - Arab Today

The United States and Britain accused Russia on Thursday of "denying the truth" as Moscow sought to rip up a report blaming Syria for a deadly chemical attack in April.

In a strongly-worded statement at a meeting of the watchdog Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), US representative Ken Ward said Russia was "continuing to deny the truth" regarding the attack in which sarin gas was used.

Last month a report by a joint UN-OPCW panel said the Syrian air force on April 4 had dropped a bomb on the opposition-held town of Khan Sheikhun, releasing the deadly nerve agent that killed more than 80 people, including children.

But Russia has dismissed the Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) report, saying the experts did not travel to Khan Sheikhun and worked with samples Moscow maintains may have been tampered with by Western intelligence.

Russia also lambasted the investigators for not travelling to the Shayrat air base, from where the aerial attack on the northwestern Syrian town was allegedly launched.

But Ward accused Russia of "collaborating with the (Bashar al-)Assad regime in a deplorable attempt to discredit the (OPCW) Fact Finding Mission (FFM) and the Joint Investigative Mechanism."

"Regrettably, Russia has abetted Syria's use of chemical weapons and disregarded the international responsibilities Syria undertook," Ward said in a statement posted on the OPCW's website.

The dispute came as Russia and Iran, the Syrian regime's allies, proposed a resolution at the OPCW meeting on Wednesday which diplomats say effectively asks investigators to scrap the first probe into the Khan Sheikhun incident and launch a new investigation.

The draft resolution "decides to renew the work by the FFM on the incident with the use of chemical weapons in Khan Sheikun in order to ensure a full-scale, professional and high-quality investigation to identify sarin," according to a copy seen by AFP.

It also asks for the fact-finding team to hold back the results of its new probe "until (a) full-scale investigation on the site of the incident in Khan Sheikhun becomes possible".

Britain's permanent representative to the OPCW Peter Wilson said London and other Western countries stood behind the original report and accused Moscow of wanting "to confuse the delegates of the OPCW".

The investigators "have not taken any evidence they can't corroborate from at least three sources," Wilson told AFP.

Earlier in his statement to the OPCW's Executive Council meeting -- of which Russia and the United States are also members -- Wilson accused Russia and Iran of "seeking to politicise" the OPCW.

"It is a thinly veiled political attack on the professional integrity" of the OPCW's director general Ahmet Uzumcu aimed at undermining the organisation's technical capability and competence, Wilson said.

Canada also joined the fray, saying that Syria, which joined the Chemical Weapons Convention in 2013 under joint US-Russia pressure, "forfeited the rights and privileges of membership, and should no longer be permitted to sit among us."

Source: AFP

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

us britain hit out at russia as chemical watchdog meets us britain hit out at russia as chemical watchdog meets

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

us britain hit out at russia as chemical watchdog meets us britain hit out at russia as chemical watchdog meets

 



GMT 16:52 2017 Tuesday ,21 February

Iraqi troops push into Daesh-held southern

GMT 10:50 2017 Tuesday ,05 December

Technip lands Bahrain refinery mega contract

GMT 08:12 2017 Monday ,10 April

Minister receives School Mini Olympics winners

GMT 13:15 2017 Thursday ,31 August

Al-Basher Arrives in the Holy Land

GMT 18:19 2017 Tuesday ,17 October

Producers' group moves to expel Weinstein

GMT 13:00 2015 Sunday ,18 October

DEWA participates in 11th Women’s Forum in France

GMT 15:48 2017 Wednesday ,22 February

GOIC Encourages Paper Industry in GCC States

GMT 02:41 2016 Tuesday ,08 November

US, Turkey COS held talks on Syria, Iraq

GMT 23:18 2017 Wednesday ,22 November

HRH Premier lauds Bahrain's ability to host major events

GMT 06:53 2017 Friday ,03 March

Ahly's former happy for CAF honoring

GMT 05:09 2017 Saturday ,25 February

Oprah Winfrey slated to address college graduates

GMT 23:47 2017 Monday ,13 November

Mohammed bin Rashid receives Italian Prime Minister

GMT 21:43 2016 Monday ,19 September

US airstrike allegedly kills 8 afghan policemen

GMT 18:29 2017 Monday ,11 September

British MPs to vote on bill to avoid 'chaotic' Brexit

GMT 10:41 2017 Sunday ,12 February

Quebec says 'No to Islamaphobia'

GMT 23:52 2017 Saturday ,09 September

France Says 26 French Hurt in Barcelona Attack
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday