Lavrov: Authors of UN Resolution on Syria Try to Poison Atmosphere at Geneva Talks

MOSCOW- Authors of the resolution debated at the UN Security Council on chemical attacks in Syria pursued a goal to poison the atmosphere of Intra-Syrian talks in Geneva, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday according to Itar Tass.

“Without any prior negotiating procedure, the resolution was hurriedly submitted for voting at the UN Security Council,” Lavrov said. “First, this was done with full understanding that the resolution would be vetoed. It means the co-authors wanted the Security Council to split up. Second, it was done at the very moment when the intra-Syrian talks, which we had been expecting so long, were relaunched in Geneva.”

“The aim was not just divide the UN Security Council but to poison the atmosphere of intra-Syrian talks,” he said.

“Any suspicion (that chemical weapons are used – TASS) should be assessed thoroughly and, above all, impartially,” Lavrov said. “That is what we have proposed should be done.”

Moscow calls for “the most comprehensive investigation into any accidents related to possible use of chemical weapons,” Lavrov said.

 “We ourselves, taking into account the facts our military had obtained in Syria, have submitted corresponding documents to the Hague, headquarters of the Organization of the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW),” he added. “We are ready to cooperate with the OPCW so that the facts will be re-verified.”

 Ayrault’s statement on Russia’s veto at UNSC Misleads Public

MOSCOW- French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault’s statement, made after Russia vetoed the resolution on chemical weapons in Syria at the UN Security Council, misleads the public, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday.

“I have seen the French foreign minister’s statement (comments on Russia’s veto of UN Security Council’s resolution – TASS) and accepted it with deep regret since it was pursuing a goal, I am sure of it, to misdirect the people in France and all over the world.”

“First, it was said that Russia blocked this resolution and found itself in isolation,” he went on to say. “It is not true. Six out of 15 members of the UN Security Council did not vote in favor of the resolution. So to speak about any isolation is at least unfair and inappropriate.”

“The JIM report (the OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism aimed at identifying those behind chemical attacks in Syria – TASS), taken as the basis of the draft resolution, was released back in the autumn of 2016,” he said. “It did not contain any convincing evidence of the use of chemical weapons as there were just guesses, underpinnings and references to non-governmental organizations that had never visited the areas of alleged use of chemical weapons.”

H.M