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Conflict in Syria

Russia’s UN mission slams US for killing UN draft resolution on Syrian chemical attacks

The mechanism (JIM) was created by the UN Security Council’s decision in August 2015 in order to establish those responsible for chemical weapons attacks

© DHA-Depo Photos via AP

MOSCOW, February 1. /TASS/. The US has killed the Russian-drafted resolution stipulating the setup of a new mechanism to look into the chemical weapons incidents in Syria, Russia’s Permanent Mission to the UN said on Twitter.

.@USUN deliberately omits that they came last to kill our #UNSC resolution to extend and reincarnate #JIM to make it independent, objective and professional. pic.twitter.com/ISmn6WfOx5
— Russian Mission UN (@RussiaUN) 1 February 2018

On January 25, Russia called a United Nations Security Council meeting, putting forward an initiative to establish an independent mechanism to look into the chemical weapons attacks in Syria. It would also involve the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and would replace the JIM that ceased to exist in late 2017 as UN Security Council member states had failed to agree on extending its mandate. However, Washington came out against this initiative.

The JIM was created by the UN Security Council’s decision in August 2015 in order to establish who had been behind the chemical weapons incidents. The commission presented a total of seven reports saying that Syrian authorities had been involved in four chemical weapons incidents. Russia has repeatedly criticized the JIM over its incompetence.

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