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Envoy says Russia will not abide by decision to expand OPCW mandate

The Russian Foreign Ministry said Moscow would not recognize the OPCW’s right to apportion blame for the use of chemical weapons

MOSCOW, July 20. /TASS/. Moscow will not recognize under any circumstances the decision by a number of countries to grant the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) the authority to apportion blame for the use of chemical weapons, Russian Permanent Representative to the OPCW Alexander Shulgin told the Rossiya 24 TV channel on Friday.

"We will not abide by this decision under any circumstances. We will do our utmost to rectify this anomalous situation," he said.

The diplomat stressed that Russia considers this decision illegitimate, as it grossly violates the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and was passed by a minority of the CWC member-states.

Read also

OPCW may gain right to apportion blame for chemical attacks

"If we do not rectify this situation, its days will be numbered, as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stressed, at least as far as preserving its truly universal and unique nature is concerned," he concluded.

On June 27, the OPCW adopted a UK-sponsored draft proposal on amending its mandate. The changes will imply the acquisition of accusatory functions. The documented was supported by 82 members, while another 24 members voted against it.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said Moscow would not recognize the OPCW’s right to apportion blame for the use of chemical weapons and questioned the possibility of preserving the OPCW and the CWC after such a decision.

Nord Stream gas leak investigation

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