Syria dismisses US, UK gas attack allegations at UNSC

Syria has dismissed fresh accusations by the US and the UK about Damascus using of chemical weapons against terrorists and civilians in the country.

According to Press TV, during a UN Security Council (UNSC) meeting on Monday, Acting Chargé d'Affaires of the Syrian Delegation at the UN, Munzer Munzer, rejected the US claims as “false and cheap.”

The Syrian diplomat said the US resorts to such “fabricated accusations” whenever it realizes that terrorist groups are in trouble in the face of any progress by the Syrian army.

He noted that the US, Britain and France bear full responsibility for obstructing an independent investigation into the use of chemical weapons by covering up crimes committed by terrorists in Syria.

The UNSC meeting was requested by Russia to discuss the use of chemical weapons, following a report on a poisonous gas attack in northwestern Syria.  

At the UNSC session, the US and Britain once again accused the Syrian government of using chemical weapons against civilians.

The two countries also accused Russia of obstructing investigation into chemical incidents in Syria.

“There are reports of yet another chemical weapons attack on Sunday. Victims of what appears to be chlorine gas are pouring into hospitals,” US Envoy to the UN Niki Haley claimed.      

“So, we proposed the Security Council press statement condemning these attacks. So far, Russia has delayed the adoption of the statement; a simple condemnation of Syrian children being suffocated by chlorine gas,” she added.

Britain’s representative at the meeting also lashed out at Russia for vetoing investigation into chemical incidents in Syria for three times, saying Moscow has been shielding the Syrian government.

Addressing the council members, Russia’s Ambassador to the UN Vasily Alekseevich Nebenzya rejected any use of chemical weapons by Damascus and accused the Western media outlets of what he called “propagandistic campaign.”

“Recently, there has been all the fuss about the alleged use of chlorine in Damascus suburbs. There are even rumors about Sarin being used. Where? When? By whom? What comes with this propagandistic campaign is nothing new,” Nebenzya said.

The Russian ambassador also accused the US and Britain of using the issue to sabotage Moscow’s efforts to find a political solution to the crisis in Syria.

ME