LOC23:59
20:59 GMT
PARIS, April 20 (KUNA) -- French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Friday called for immediate access by inspectors from the Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to the Douma site, which Western countries say was the target of Syrian regime chemical weapons attacks on April 7.
In a statement, Le Drian noted delaying tactics by the Russian and Syrian sides, which he said constituted "obstruction" of the investigation to determine if chemical weapons were used.
"At this time, the investigators from the OPCW have still not access to the site of the chemical attack in Douma," he said.
"This obstruction obviously harms the quality of the investigation," he lamented.
France's Chief Diplomat said that it appears that the Russian and Syrian attitude "aims to disappear the proof and material elements linked to the chemical attack" and he remarked that it soon will have taken almost 15 days to get inspectors on to the site, if that happens now.
Le Drian refuted Russia's "incoherent" declarations regarding the Douma attack, noting that Moscow on the one hand denies any attack, on the other blames it on rebels groups or Western manipulation.
"Full, immediate and unfettered access must be given to the OPCW team, as we have always demanded," Le Drian declared.
He repeated the French conviction about the attack which killed around 40 people, mainly civilians, and he said that evidence amassed by France from witnesses, medical sources like the World Health Organisation (WHO) and multimedia sources left no doubt about the use of chemical weapons in Douma.
He further noted that around 500 people were treated after the Douma incident.
Regarding responsibility for the attack, Le Drian said that France has "confirmation that Syrian officers coordinated these attacks, aiming to accelerate the taking control of the sector." (end)
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