LOC22:28
19:28 GMT
MOSCOW, Aug 23 (KUNA) -- Russia said that any calls or Security Council
encouragement for the use of force against the Syrian government were
"rejected" in light of claims of its use of chemical weapons in attacks on
civilians.
Russia on Friday directly accused opposition forces of carrying out the
attack, which killed hundreds of people in the region of Ghouta on the
outskirts of Damascus. The Syrian opposition had accused the government of
having carried out the attack, three days ago, in which chemical nerve agents
were said to have been used - claims fiercely rejected by Damascus.
"The fact that agenda-driven regional mass media have begun an aggressive
attack at once, as if on command, laying all responsibility on the government,
draws attention," Russia's Foreign Ministry quoted spokesman Alexander
Lukashevich as saying in a statement.
"It is apparently no coincidence that information like this regarding the
authorities using chemical weapons has been thrown in before, including in the
past days, citing some opposition sources, however it was not confirmed later,
" Lukashevich said.
"All this can only lead us to think that we are dealing again with a
provocation planned in advance. The fact that the criminal action near
Damascus was carried out just when the mission of UN experts to investigate
the statements on possible chemical weapons use there has successfully begun
its work in Syria points to this," said the statement.
"Moscow thinks that it is important to hold an objective and professional
investigation of what has happened.
"We are urging again all those who have the opportunity to influence armed
extremists to make every effort to put an end to provocations with the use of
poisonous chemical substances," said the statement.
Lukashevich went on to commend the Syrian government for allowing a UN
investigative team to visit Syria on accounts of human rights breaches, adding
that Russia encourages this. (end)
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