NEW YORK, March (KUNA) 14 - The United Kingdom stated Wednesday that the poising of former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter is a state-sponsored crime.
"This was a reckless and indiscriminate act that put at risk the lives of civilians," Britain's Deputy UN Ambassador Jonathan Allen in an emergency meeting at the UN Security Council.
He accused Russia of breaking its obligations under the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
Allen noted his country has asked the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, an independent watchdog, to verify its identification of the substance used in the incident.
"We will stand by the values which are shared by the overwhelming majority of those in this council in this United Nations and we ask you today, to stand by us," he added.
US Ambassador Nikki Haley expressed solidarity with the United Kingdom.
She affirmed Russia was "responsible" for a nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy in England, and urged the UN Security Council to hold Moscow accountable.
"The United States believes that Russia is responsible for the attack on two people in the United Kingdom, using a military-grade nerve agent," Haley said.
For his part, the Russian Ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzya dismissed accusation against his country and demanded material proof from Britain to support its charge.
"We were given an ultimatum and requested in 24 hours to admit that we committed a crime. In other words, confess," Nebenzya.
"We do not speak the language of ultimatums. We do not use that language with anyone. And we will not allow to be spoken to in that language either." Former spy Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter, Yulia Skripal, 33, remain critically ill in hospital after being found slumped on a bench on 4 March. (end) asf.ibi