Syria attacked 'just as it had a chance for peace' - Moscow
- by Evan Rowe
- in Tech
- — Apr 15, 2018
Lavrov did not offer evidence to back up his claim.
Earlier on Friday, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that found individuals who participated in recording the video that was used as evidence of the alleged chemical attack in Douma, Eastern Ghouta, and that it has evidence proving Britain's direct involvement in setting up this incident. "But now I hope no one ventures on such an adventure".
U.S. President Donald Trump has blamed the attack on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, saying there wasn't "much of a doubt" he was behind the strike.
A fact-finding mission from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is expected to head to Douma, the site of the suspected attack.
Lavrov said Russian Federation expects OPCW team to quickly visit the site. Russian services for security visited the incident and didn't find any kind of substances there, no traces of chemical poisoning were found in local hospitals. The Syrian government was ready to issue visas immediately on the border, without any additional delay.
However, the Observatory says the facilities were evacuated by the Syrian government days before.
Russia's ambassador to the United States warned that there would be consequences for the US-led military strikes, adding that it was not acceptable to insult Russia's President.
Lavrov said that "intelligence agencies of a state that is now striving to spearhead a Russo-phobic campaign were involved in that fabrication".
The Russian foreign minister stressed that this development of events can "please only those who are protected by oceans and those who expect to sit out in the process of continuing efforts to ripen the entire region, in order to continue to promote their geopolitical projects here".
The genuine aim behind the US-led attack on Syria was to "allow terrorists to rest, restore their forces and extend bloodshed", the ministry said, referring to the fact that the strike was carried out "at the time when Syrian troops were further taking a successful offensive against Daesh*, al-Nusra Front and other terrorist groups".
The ministry has strongly condemned the US-led military action against Syria, calling it an "act of aggression", which violates the UN Charter.
