Russia calls for ‘unbiased and professional’ investigation into Syrian 'chemical weapons attack'
Russia will insist not only at the Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapon (OPCW), but also at the UN on urgent sending of inspectors for investigation into the incident with alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday after a meeting with Qatar's Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, according to TASS agency.
"We consider it absolutely necessary to have thorough, objective and unbiased professional investigation," he said. "We shall both at OPCW in New York and at the UN insist on urgent sending of inspectors both to the side of the accident and to the aerodrome, where, as Western experts claim, shells were filled with chemical substances."
"We have shared with the Qatari counterparts the Russian vision on the situation," Lavrov said, as quoted by the source.
The Russian foreign minister told reporters the parties had discussed key problems in the Middle East and Northern Africa, including the situation in Syria, Libya, Yemen, the Middle East settlement, including the Palestinian problem.
"As for Syria, our common position is the necessary overwhelming ceasefire between the government and armed opposition, further anti-terrorist fight against the Islamic State and Habhat al-Nusra (terrorist groups outlawed in Russia - TASS), as well as acceleration of this crisis’ settlement on the basis of the UN SC resolution," the Russian minister said.