Lavrov: Evidence Provided by US of Chemical Weapons Use in Syria not Concrete, has not Convinced Russia

US strike on Syria to Put off Geneva Conference on Syria for Long Time

MOSCOW- A planned international conference in Geneva to end the conflict in Syria will be put off for a long time “if not forever” if the US goes ahead with military action against Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned Monday, according to the Voice of Russia.

“If the action announced by the US President Barack Obama – to the great regret of all of us – does in fact take place, it will put off the chances of holding this conference for a long time, if not forever”, Lavrov said at a news conference with his South African counterpart.

Earlier, Lavrov described as odd the statements of his US colleague John Kerry that Washington produced irrefutable evidence of the use of chemical weapons in Syria, but that Russia denies this evidence.

“It is very strange to hear, when we recently discussed the issue, my good colleague, US Secretary of State John Kerry say that the American side had produced irrefutable evidence for Russia of the Syrian government using chemical weapons and then claiming that Russians deliberately refused to recognize the fact,” Lavrov told students of the Moscow Foreign Relations University (MGIMO) on Monday.

Evidence Provided by US of Chemical Weapons Use in Syria has not Convinced Russia

The evidence produced by Washington for Moscow of the Syrian government allegedly using chemical weapons is not concrete and has not convinced Russia, Lavrov has said. He added that “secrecy” by the West is unacceptable with regard to Syria and the use of chemical weapons there. Information sharing is a must.

“If there truly is top secret information available, the veil should be lifted. This is a question of war and peace. To continue this game of secrecy is simply inappropriate.”

 US Secretary of State John Kerry told US media as he sought building support for a military strike, that samples collected by first responders after the claimed Aug. 21 chemical attack in a Damascus suburb have allegedly tested positive for the Sarin nerve agent. No knowledge of who was behind it has yet come to light.

“Yes, we were shown certain pieces of evidence that did not contain anything concrete – neither geographical locations, nor names, nor evidence that samples had been taken by professionals. Nor did they comment on the fact that numerous experts have serious doubts regarding the video footage circulating on the Internet,” Lavrov said.

“There are plenty of contradictions and oddities, if we are speaking of footage of chemical weapons use and the condition of the victims,” he said. “What we were shown before and recently by our American partners, as well as by the British and French, does not convince us at all,” he said.

“There are no facts, there is simply talk about what we definitely know. But when you ask for more detailed evidence, they say that it is all classified, therefore it cannot be shown to us. This means there are no such facts to encourage international cooperation,” the minister added.

Minister Lavrov has called the information provided to Russia by the US ‘inconclusive’.

“We were shown some sketches, but there was nothing concrete, no geographical coordinates or details and no proof the test was done by professionals. There were no comments anywhere regarding the experts’ doubt about the footage circulating all over the internet,” Lavrov said.

He added that “what our American, British and French partners have shown us before – as well as now – does not convince us at all. There are no supporting facts. There is only repetitive talk in the vein of “we know for sure”. And when we ask for further clarification, we receive the following response: ‘You are aware that this is classified information, therefore we cannot show it to you.’ So, there are still no facts”.

H. Mustafa