Syrian: At the diplomatic level, the controversy continues

The climate remains tense after the US attack along with France and Britain in Syria last Saturday, with statements here and there reminiscent of Cold War eras.

"We did not do it because President Trump asked us to. We did it because we believe it was the right thing to do, "said the British Prime Minister, who spoke before the British Parliament regarding the decisions on Saturday's strike in Syria and faced criticism from MPs. He added that several foreign leaders were supporters of the strikes. 

Labor leader Jeremy Gorbin was particularly critical of Theresa May, stressing to Britain that she should be accountable to Parliament and not to the US President. 

US accusations against Russia

Russia may have tampered with "evidence" from the site of a alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria's Duma, the US ambassador to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said today.

"The Russians could have visited the site of the attack. "We are afraid they may have altered it in order to thwart the efforts of the OACHO mission for an effective investigation," said US diplomat Ken Ward at the Organization's meeting in The Hague.

The United States is considering imposing additional sanctions on Russia following the chemical weapons attack in Syria, but no concrete decision has been made.

"We are considering additional sanctions against Russia and a decision will be taken in the near future," said Sarah Saunders, a spokeswoman for the White House.

Russia refuses and warns

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has denied allegations that he falsified evidence at the site of an alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria.
"I can guarantee that Russia has not falsified the details of the attack," Lavrov said.   

In an interview with the BBC, the Russian Foreign Minister added that the leaders of the USA, Britain and France rely on media and social media data when talking about the alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria. 

"I can not be rude to the leaders of other countries, but you read the statements of the leaders of France, Britain and the United States. "I must honestly tell you that all the evidence they cite is based on data from the media and social media," Lavrov said.   

Earlier, the Kremlin had signaled that sanctions could wreak havoc and warned of international relations.

In a telephone conversation with Iranian President Hassan Rohani, Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed that Western missiles had destroyed the chances of reaching a political resolution to the seven-year-old Syrian conflict, according to a Kremlin statement.

"In particular, Vladimir Putin stressed that if such actions continue in violation of the Charter of the United Kingdom, it will inevitably lead to chaos in international relations." 

Cyprus condemns

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Christodoulidis, in his intervention in the work of the EU Foreign Affairs Council held in Luxembourg, stressed that Cyprus, as the closest member state of the European Union to Syria, is deeply concerned about the escalation of the conflicts in the country.

A statement from the Cypriot Foreign Minister states that Mr. Christodoulidis pointed out that there can be no military solution to the Syrian issue.

Mr. Christodoulidis stated that Cyprus unequivocally condemns the use of chemical weapons, emphasizing that "such an action is a war crime and a crime against humanity." 

Concluding, the Foreign Minister stressed the need to strengthen the efforts of the international community and the EU to reach a political solution to the Syrian problem, and that "diplomacy can not and should not be abandoned."

 

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