UK is blocking independent international investigation into Khan Sheikhoun incident (by Ambassador Yakovenko for RT)
On April 18, in response to a statement by Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson on British experts at Porton Down lab having analyzed some samples taken at the site of the chemical incident in Khan Sheikhoun, we have asked the Foreign Office to provide us with the information on its unilateral investigation. In particular, we requested information on what kind of samples and where were taken and whether the OPCW’s key requirement of chain of custody was observed during the collection of evidence. If the British side had access to the scene of the incident, why wouldn’t it provide such an access for the OPCW experts? We have not received any reply so far.
Meanwhile, at the OPCW Executive Committee’s extraordinary session in The Hague on 21 April, the Western countries blocked the Russo-Iranian draft decision on an impartial and independent international investigation into the incident in Khan Sheikhoun. The West, with the support of OPCW Director General Mr Ahmet Üzümcü, insisted that it would be “harmful” and that everything was clear and we mustn’t question the competence of the experts of the OPCW Fact-Finding Mission responsible for investigation of all credible allegations of chemical weapons use in Syria, which is, by the way, headed by British representatives. In fact, it was said that the line had been drawn and that the British side had incontrovertible proof of the Syrian government’s complicity in the chemical incident. The meaning of what was actually going on was in fact explained by Boris Johnson in his interview with the Today program on BBC Radio 4. The Foreign Secretary stated that upon a request of the US Administration, in case of a new chemical incident in Syria, the British Government would be ready to participate in US-led military action – even without approval by Parliament, which will be dissolved on 2nd May due to the forthcoming snap elections. It is good that Downing Street refuted this statement saying that nothing of the sort was contemplated in such a “hypothetical situation”. Let’s hope that this is the case. Otherwise it might look like some in Washington and London want to artificially reproduce the situation of August 2013, only this time with the new US Administration in place and without participation of the British Parliament, in order to have a pretext for a direct military intervention in Syria for the purpose of regime change. It is a dangerous obsession, which will keep everybody on edge and will be utterly disruptive for the fragile political process in Syria.
The launch by Iran on 27 July of the missile “Simurg” caused a lot of speculations and aimed at putting additional pressure on the country under the false pretext.
The latest developments on the Korean Peninsula have become a matter of a grave concern against the backdrop of yet another launch of a ballistic missile by the DPRK on 28 July in violation of the UN Secretary Council resolutions. But the bellicose rhetoric will not produce a peaceful negotiated solution.
On July 7, the work on the draft Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (PNW) was completed in New York. Russia considers this Treaty as counterproductive and potentially dangerous, which brings humanity no closer to a world free of nuclear weapons and threatens to damage the existing non-proliferation regimes.
The international community has already created universal mechanisms, based on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which allow a gradual cut of nuclear arsenals. At the same time, it provides for the strengthening of international stability and ensuring equal security for all states, including non-nuclear. We are convinced that the NPT contains all the necessary provisions in this sphere that must be applied consistently.
We continue to see efforts to blame Russia for allegedly lowering the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons. Against the backdrop of current anti-Russian hysterics and groundless accusations of “aggression”, “destabilization”, “interference”, etc., this adds to the false picture. Let’s set the record straight.
Russia continues its efforts in Syria aimed at normalizing the humanitarian situation and eliminating terrorism in the region. Along with fighting ISIS, al-Nusra Front in all its reincarnations, and other terrorist organizations, recognized as such by the UN Security Council, Russia also contributes to establishing conditions to secure the ceasefire between the Syrian government troops and the opposition. Starting from June, Russia has supported the signing of agreements on ceasefire with representatives of 508 towns and villages. Total number of reconciled inhabited areas has reached an unprecedented number of 2,043.
The question of what really happened in Khan Shaykhun on April 4 still remains unanswered. Russia’s critical attitude to the methods of work and to the conclusions of the report of the OPCW Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) in Syria on this matter is well known. For three months of work, the FFM could only prove the use of sarin, thus confirming the findings of the Syrians themselves, who managed to obtain samples onsite.
We believe there are fundamental flaws in the work of the Mission, including the following: the inquiry was conducted remotely, without visiting the scene of the incident; the CWC’s basic chain-of-custody principle hasn’t been honoured; in fact, the main question remained unanswered – under what circumstances and how exactly the chemical agent was deployed.
The humanitarian situation in Syria remains complex. According to the UN, 13,5 million Syrians or more than half of the country’s population need help. Of the UN 2017 humanitarian appeal for Syria of $3,4 bn, so far $702 mln has been allocated by donors. The Syrian public health system, which was once considered the best in the region, has now significantly deteriorated and its state is of particular concern. There is limited access of the population to the medical and sanitary services, and the immunization from the main diseases remains at a very low level. As of the end of June, 17 cases of poliomyelitis were registered in the country. The threat of epidemic remains high. Due to the lack of clean drinking water, outbreaks of dysentery, cholera and typhoid fever are ever more possible.
There are speculations about the chemical incident in Khan Sheikhoun on April 4 flared up by the recent report by the OPCW Fact-Finding Mission in Syria (FFMS). On the surface, this report looks somewhat respectable, has been welcomed by some countries as a “highly professional” piece of work and even hailed to have provided incontestable evidence of Damascus’ guilt for the “chemical attack”.
Russia’s assessments of this document are much more reserved. Its quality leaves much to be desired and let me explain why we think so.
The recent DPRK’s missile launch caused serious concerns in the international community. These actions contradict relevant UN Security Council resolutions. Meanwhile, to avoid further escalation we all should maintain calm, renounce provocative moves or belligerence of all types and work actively together to defuse tension. Re-launching a dialogue on the comprehensive resolution of the problems is the only way to a sustainable settlement.
25 years ago several independent states, formerly Republics of the Soviet Union, including Russia, Kazakhstan, Belorussia, Armenia, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, signed the Collective Security Treaty. 10 years later they established the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO). Even this chronology shows that it was not an easy process. It took time for the member-states to assess their own security interests and requirements, as well as the overall security picture in the region they share.
Tweet Follow @russianembassy