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Conflict in Syria

Doha ready to provide security for OPCW inspectors in Syria

"Qatar from its side is ready to assist, we have respective contacts," the foreign minister of Qatar said

Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani Artyom Geodakyan/TASS

Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani

© Artyom Geodakyan/TASS

MOSCOW, April 15. /TASS/. Doha is ready to provide support in security of inspectors from the Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in Syria, Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani said during a news conference on Saturday after talks with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Read also

Moscow calls for transparent investigation of Syria chemical incident

"As for a possible independent investigation in the Syrian districts, which are controlled either by the government or the opposition, I believe, here should play the role the countries, which guarantee behavior of both sides," the minister said. "Qatar from its side is ready to assist, we have respective contacts."

He said, Russia’s support for the idea to organize an international expert group for investigation into the recent incidents in Syria proves Moscow is ready to assist the unbiased investigation.

"Having this investigation is very important to us," the Qatari foreign minister said. "But even of bigger importance is what we are going to do if results of the investigation make it impossible to punish the involved."

"We should make it so the involved are punished, all countries should speak in favor of this investigation," the Qatari foreign minister said. "If we do not punish the involved, it inevitably will encourage them for even more actions of the kind. This must be avoided."

"We have seen the horrifying pictures of civilians killed in Khan Sheikhoun, this must not repeat, and the involved must not avoid responsibility," the minister said. "If we do not insist of mechanisms for punishment, then in future incidents of the kind will repeat."

According to data of the Russian Defense Ministry, Syrian warplanes delivered an air strike on April 4 that hit workshops where terrorists were producing munitions with chemical agents supplied to Iraq and used in Aleppo.

However, Washington concluded that Damascus had used chemical weapons. As a result, the US military fired 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles on the military aerodrome in the province of Homs, from which, as Washington believed, a chemical attack had allegedly started. The missile strike killed 10 people.

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