Russia dismisses 'unfounded accusations' about chemical weapons in Syria

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned against making 'unfounded accusations' regarding undeclared chemical weapons in Syria.

Lavrov said in a statement on Sunday that the operation to remove chemical weapons stockpiles from Syria has been successful.

"This problem was successfully resolved," said Lavrov, adding, "We have every basis to consider that Syria will continue cooperating closely."

The Russian foreign minister said all claims to the contrary should be investigated.  

"Sometimes publications come out that there could be undeclared chemical weapons in Syria. This is all being checked, here we must avoid unfounded accusations," Lavrov stated.

The Syrian government has already surrendered its stockpiles of chemical weapons to a joint mission led by the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which oversaw the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons.

US war rhetoric against Syria intensified in August 2013 after foreign-backed opposition forces accused the government of President Bashar al-Assad of launching a chemical attack on militant strongholds in the suburbs of the capital, Damascus.

Damascus has repeatedly rejected the allegation. Syria says such attacks have been carried out by the Takfiri Daesh terrorists. Russia has also maintained that there is no solid proof that Damascus is behind such attacks.

Syria subsequently agreed to elimination of its stockpile of chemical weapons under a deal that was initially put forward by Russia as a way to head off Washington’s possible use of force against Damascus.

US Secretary of State John Kerry confirmed late last year that the United States had “removed and destroyed” all Syrian chemical weapons that were declared by Damascus.

On August 7, Moscow expressed its support for the setting up of a UN Security Council (UNSC) panel to investigate chlorine attacks carried out in Syria two years ago. This came after the UNSC voted in favor of a draft resolution on an investigation aimed at fighting the perpetrators of chlorine gas attacks in crisis-hit Syria.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Russia's foreign minister argued that the so-called US-led coalition against purported Daesh positions should reconsider its "persistent rejection" of cooperation with the Syrian government in the fight against the Takfiri terrorist group. "We still think this objective is achievable," Lavrov said.

He added that Daesh is a "common enemy" to all international powers. 

The terrorist group is notorious for its barbarity, heinous atrocities, and sacrilegious acts. The Daesh militants have been accused of committing gross human rights violations and war crimes in areas they control, particularly in Syria and Iraq.

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