NOVANEWS
Russia had evidence that the Syrian opposition possessed and used chemical weapons, alawmaker said on Wednesday.
“There are reasons to presume that not only the Syrian government but also the militantspossess chemical weapons,” said Alexei Pushkov, head of the International AffairsCommittee of the State Duma, or lower house of the parliament.
“There are suspicions that the militants have used these weapons repeatedly,” he told aDuma plenary session.
Pushkov noted that the militants used chemical weapons near Aleppo in March and thatwas acknowledged by Carla Del Ponte, a member of the special independent commission ofthe UN investigating human rights violations in Syria.
“Russia has just passed existing proof to the UN Security Council,” the Interfax newsagency quoted him as saying.
Russia suggested Monday the Syrian government join the Organization for Prohibition ofChemical Weapons (OPCW) and put its chemical weapons under international control.
That proposal was confirmed accepted Tuesday as visiting Syrian Foreign Minister Walidal-Moualem said his country made the decision to “stave off an American aggression.”
