Churkin: US ‘manipulated public opinion,’ ignored appeals for Syria chem attack evidence

New York- Russian UN Envoy Vitaly Churkin has announced that Russia have heard no evidence from its international partners in the international organization refuting reports uncovering that the armed terrorist groups in Syria had used chemical weapons, a matter that was affirmed by international experts.

According to Russia Today, Churkin said that while building up a case against the Syrian government, the US has relied on the sophisticated filtration of information and manipulation of public opinion through carefully weighted statements with no hard proof.

“Our requests for additional information which could prove the Syrian government alleged involvement in the use of chemical weapons were ignored by Washington,” Churkin added following a closed-door UN Security Council (UNSC) meeting on two UN chemical weapons reports by Ake Sellstrom.

The sarin attacks near Aleppo on March 19 and in Ghouta on August 21 are the two most “alarming” incidents of the Syrian conflict, Churkin told reporters, adding that the story becomes “full of contradictions” if blame is placed on the Syrian government.

“Why would the Syrian government use chemical weapons on August 21?”Churkin asked.”Is it to cross the red line drawn by Washington and invite a missile strike upon itself?  Why would the opposition use chemical weapons? It is exactly because of the red line and to provoke foreign military intervention in Syria,” he said.

The August 21 attack was a provocation by the armed groups, Churkin stressed, noting that Sellstrom’s investigation got acquainted with the OPCW-certified (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) report. He added that the UN team did not refute the results found by Russian experts in the report.

At the time, the Syrian government immediately requested an international investigation of the March 19 incident, Churkin reminded, but then the United States, the United Kingdom and France tried to hinder the process of reaching facts.

H. Mustafa