Syrian Deputy FM Accuses UNHRC of Propagating Anti-Syrian Policy of West

18:53 GMT, 10 March 2018

DAMASCUS (Sputnik) - The Syrian government does not cooperate with the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) believing that the body is propagating the anti-Syrian policy of western countries, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said.

Sputnik

"We are not cooperating with the UNHRC as it is politicized and propagating the policy of western states targeting Syria," Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad told reporters.

The diplomat emphasized that Damascus greeted the possible creation of special committees that were able to investigate cases of chemical weapons' usage.

Mekdad also pointed out that the Syrian government had asked international investigators to investigate reports about a chemical incident in Khan Sheikhoun but the request was declined over alleged poor security conditions.

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On October 26, the Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) presented its report on the incidents in Syria's Umm Hawsh on September 15-16, 2016 and in Khan Sheikhoun on April 4, 2017. According to the report, the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad is responsible for the use of sarin in the Khan Sheikhoun incident, while Daesh* is responsible for the use of sulfur mustard in Umm Hawsh.

The Russian Permanent Mission to the United Nations stated that the JIM's report was based mostly on assumptions and the selective use of facts. Damascus also rejected the accusations.

*Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist group banned in Russia