Churkin says western countries blocked call for investigating possible chemical attacks by terrorists in Syria, Iraq

MOSCOW, (ST) – Russia’ Representative to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin has underscored that his country’s western colleagues blocked a call for Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) to track reports of the possible preparations by various terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq for the production or use of chemical weapons.

Speaking to reporters following the Security Council meeting held yesterday on humanitarian situation in Syria, Mr. Churkin said: “In our view, since we are to discuss whether or not JIM needs to be extended, we need to also discuss that possibility. Actually we believe that the scope of this mechanism has been too narrow and the value of their product is questionable — with all due respect to the very hard work they have been doing. It needs to be serious discussion. So, a kind of a quick, technical rollover is not going to work.”

He described O’Brien’s report as outrageous because it did not mention the fact that there have been no bombings of Eastern Aleppo in the past 7 days.

“It was quite outrageous, actually because he spoke as if the bombings are going on even now. And then he created the impression that actually chemical weapons have been used in Eastern Aleppo. It’s outrageous. It’s not amateur theatricals. It’s UN Security Council. You cannot simply come out with your emotions described in a literary way. You need to stick to the facts,” he clarified.

The Russian diplomat affirmed that Americans had said that they cannot stand together with the Russian soldiers on Castello Road in Aleppo.” We would love the Russians to do that, this is what they said.”

He confirmed that Russia does not bomb hospitals in Syria.

Yesterday, Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said that the report of JIM and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is baseless and its conclusions reflect no accuracy or objectivity.

It added that Syria submitted – over the past two years- a lot of important information about the terrorist group’s possessing and using of toxic chemical agents and weapons and about the involvement of the Turkish and Saudi regimes and some western countries in delivering these poisonous materials to the terrorists.

Sources: RT- SANA

Basma Qaddour