Gatilov: Russia Hopes for UN Objective Inquiry into Use of Chemical Weapons in Syria
MOSCOW- Russia is hoping that UN inspectors will conduct an objective investigation into the issues relating to the use of chemical weapons in Syria, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said, according to the Voice of Russia.
“The Syrian government and the UN have now reached an agreement to send inspectors there. I would like to hope that a comprehensive and objective investigation will be conducted into everything related to the use of chemical weapons,” Gatilov told reporters on Thursday.
Various viewpoints were earlier voiced on this matter, he said. “One of them was even voiced by Carla del Ponte, a member of the UN commission investigating human rights violations in Syria, who said that it is totally obvious that the chemical weapons were used by the opposition. It is very important that the inspectors approach this matter in a comprehensive way and reach an objective conclusion,” Gatilov said.
UN chemical weapons investigators to visit three Syrian sites
On Wednesday, the UN announced that the United Nations chemical weapons investigators are heading to Syria after Damascus has agreed to receive them.
Syria has allowed UN inspectors to visit three sites to investigate chemical weapons use during the country’s more than 2-year-old crisis.
The head of a UN chemical weapons investigation team, Ake Sellstrom, and the head of the UN Office of Disarmament Affairs, Angela Kane, visited Damascus last week at the invitation of the Syrian government to discuss access.
“On the basis of the information evaluated by the Mission to date and further to the understanding reached with the Government of Syria, the Mission will travel to Syria as soon as possible to contemporaneously investigate three of the reported incidents, including Khan al-Assal,” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s press office said in a statement.
The United Nations did not identify the other two locations to be visited by investigators.
H. Mustafa