Independent probe must be launched into use of war chemicals in Syria – Russian diplomat

Russia continues to insist on an independent expert study of the use of war chemicals in Aleppo, Syria, given the conclusion of a UN special commission on its possible use by opposition forces.

“The UN special commission believes that war chemicals in Syria could have been used by the armed opposition.The conclusion was drawn based on a poll of witnesses,” Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov posted in his Twitter account.

“This fact once again proves the need for an independent expert examination of what happened in Aleppo in April,” he said.

Moscow has called for stopping politicization of the possible use of chemical weapons in Syria.

“For our part, we insistently appeal for stopping politicization of this extremely serious question and escalation of the anti-Syrian atmosphere. We reaffirm the impermissibility of dragging out under far-fetched and dangerous pretexts a response to the Syrian government’s appeal to the UN with regard to the claimed use of chemical armaments by opposition armed units in Khan al-Assal on March 19,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in a statement.

M.D