Russia urges U.N. to clarify chemical weapons use in Syria

Moscow expects the investigation to help remove speculation on the use of chemical weapons in Syria, which will create a positive background for progress towards political settlement of the Syria crisis, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Alexander Lukashevich told reporters.

According to the Russian diplomat, the Syrian government is ready to cooperate with U.N. inspectors in the probe "as comprehensively as possible."

The Syrian authorities also vowed to provide sufficient support to U.N. experts, including documents that recorded the incident in Khan al-Asal, Lukashevich added. A U.N. team of chemical weapons inspectors, headed by Swedish expert Ake Sellstrom, started working in Damascus on Monday. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the team will investigate the alleged chemical weapons use on March 19 in Khan al-Assal and attacks in two other locations, which were still kept secret for security reasons.

The Syrian opposition accused President Bashar al-Assad's forces of killing 1,300 people in chemical attacks in suburbs of Damascus on Wednesday, a charge denied by the Syrian government.

The Russian Foreign Ministry suggested the reported chemical attack on Wednesday was "planned provocation" by rebels against the government and called for "objective and professional investigation" into the allegations.

Source: Xinhua