OPCW should provide opportunity for experts to answer its member states’ questions on alleged Douma chemical attack: Zakharova

MOSCOW, (ST)- Spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova has called for giving the countries that are member in the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) the chance to ask the experts who cast doubts about the credibility of the conclusions of the OPCW fact–finding mission about the alleged chemical attack in Syria’s Douma.

Earlier, leaked documents revealed that former employees at the OPCW have cast doubts about the results of the organization’s report in the alleged Douma chemical attack.

 In a press conference on Thursday, Zakharova said “we count on the leadership of the OPCW Technical Secretariat to provide an opportunity for the experts, who participated in the investigation, to answer the questions raised by the OPCW member states.”

“Until this moment, all these requests have been refused,” she added.

On November 8th, the Russian Foreign Ministry reiterated that there were serious shortcomings in the activities of the Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) on the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria, pointing out that such shortcomings violate the standards of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).

Hamda Mustafa