Russia has submitted a detailed critical analysis to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) regarding a new report by the Investigation and Identification Team (IIT) on Syria. According to Vladimir Tarabrin, the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the OPCW, the document is filled with errors and contradictions.
"The IIT report, released on the eve of the 111th session of the Executive Council, serves as further proof of bias, focusing on the alleged use of chlorine in the Hama province ten years ago," Tarabrin stated in an interview with TASS. He noted that, like previous findings, this report relies on second-hand information and contains significant discrepancies. "We have provided the OPCW with a comprehensive analysis of the IIT's conclusions, which clearly contradict the laws of physics, ballistics, and logic."
Tarabrin also reiterated Russia's long-standing position that identifying perpetrators is not within the OPCW's legal remit. He argued that the IIT's activities exceed the organization's mandate and negatively impact its international credibility.
The Investigation and Identification Team was established in 2018 with the specific authority to identify those responsible for the use of chemical weapons in Syria.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
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Based on materials from TASS