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Topic of possible chemical provocations in Ukraine coming to fore in OPCW - diplomat

According to Alexander Shulgin, Western countries during the session Western nations were indulging in making all sorts of statements, collective demarches and allegations

THE HAGUE, March 10. /TASS/. The topic of possible chemical provocations in Ukraine has come to the fore during discussions within the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Russia’s Permanent Representative to this organization Alexander Shulgin said on Thursday, commenting on the ongoing regular session of the OPCW Executive Council.

According to the Russian diplomat, Western countries during the session Western nations were indulging in making "all sorts of statements, collective demarches and allegations, in particular on a chemical provocation plotted by the Russian military in Donbass." The Russian delegation, in his words, "strongly rejected these allegations" and recalled Russia’s warnings that Ukrainian nationalists had brought containers with toxic agents to several Ukrainian regions, in particular in Donbass, "with the assistance of employees of foreign private military companies."

"Amid the Ukrainian topic hyped by Western representatives, the Syrian chemical dossier paled into insignificance at the latest session of the Executive Council," Shulgin said. "But Washington and its allies seem to be unwilling to drop the intention of changing, as they say, the Damascus regime."

"In general, the situation within the OPCW, where the Americans rudely impose their rule, remains very difficult," he said. "In light of the unprecedented politicization, there are fewer and fewer chances to get back to routine work based on the principles of consensus." But Russia "will do its best to prevent the OPCW’s degradation," he pledged.

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