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UN Independent Commission on Syria cannot guarantee credibility of its data, says Lavrov

The Russian top diplomat recalled that the commission was established by a non-consensus decision, and that it is tasked with finding compromising information against Damascus and its allies

MOSCOW, July 8. /TASS/. The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, which reported crimes of the official Damascus in Idlib, cannot guarantee the credibility of the information it disseminates, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday following a videoconference with his counterparts from the African Union trio (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt and South Africa).

"We believe that all issues regarding the Syrian or any other conflict must be viewed and solved only based on concrete facts, on information that the relevant organization can be held responsible for," Lavrov said. "This independent commission cannot be held responsible for its own statements, which has been proven repeatedly."

The Russian top diplomat recalled that the commission was established by a non-consensus decision, and that it is tasked with finding compromising information against Damascus and its allies. Besides, the commission itself never visited Idlib, he added.

"This so-called commission uses facts taken from the social networks, from unknown sources they ask to leave anonymous, citing safety measures," the top diplomat said. "Those are the same methods used by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons; these very days our Western colleagues seek to enforce the adoption of a resolution, based on a report, prepared in blatant violation of the Convention on Chemical Weapons."