The technical secretariat of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) continues to delay the investigation of the use of chemical weapons in Syria, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova told at a briefing on Thursday.
"We note once again that the Technical Secretariat of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons continues to delay, under far - fetched pretexts, the investigation of cases of chemical weapons use by the Syrian armed opposition, which official Damascus regularly informs both the OPCW and the UN Security Council," she said.
As an example, Zakharova cited the chemical attack that took place on November 24, 2018, in the Syrian city of Aleppo.
"It's been almost two years since the incident.<...> However, the technical secretariat is still unable to complete the investigation, and constantly makes additional demands on the Syrian side, " she said. The diplomat noted that Damascus provided the OPCW with all the necessary information, continuing to demonstrate full openness and readiness to cooperate.
Zakharova stressed that by delaying the investigation, the OPCW violates the Chemical Weapons Convention This policy, according to the diplomat, shows the engagement of the OPCW technical secretariat, as well as the readiness of the organization "to fulfill the political order of individual states that, in pursuit of their geopolitical interests in the Middle East, have repeatedly used military force against Syria in violation of the UN Charter."
On November 24, 2018, militants in the de-escalation zone in Idlib province fired projectiles containing a toxic substance, presumably chlorine, at residential areas of Aleppo. After that, according to Syrian doctors, more than 70 people were hospitalized, and the SANA news agency reported that 107 civilians were taken to hospitals. Russian air force planes destroyed the terrorists who were shelling the city. On January 8, 2019, it became known that OPCW specialists were sent to Syria.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Alexander Shcherbak / TASS
Based on materials from TASS