BZ Toxin Samples Has Nothing to Do With Salisbury Samples - OPCW Head

"The precursor of BZ that is referred to in the public statements, commonly known as 3Q, was contained in the control sample prepared by the OPCW Lab in accordance with the existing quality control procedures. Otherwise it has nothing to do with the samples collected by the OPCW Team in Salisbury. This chemical was reported back to the OPCW by the two designated labs and the findings are duly reflected in the report," head of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Ahmet Uzumcu said.

The OPCW research results have confirmed British experts' analysis, the UK's Permanent Representative at the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons Peter Wilson stated, speaking at the OPCW Executive Council Meeting.

"On April 13, the Russian Federation handed over to the UK a list with questions under Article 9 of the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. We will respond as soon as possible (this will happen) within 10 days, as established by the Convention (on the prohibition of chemical weapons)," Wilson said.

According to the UK Ambassador to the OPCW, four OPCW-designated laboratories did not find the substance BZ in any of the samples collected in Salisbury. Still, London and the OPCW research haven't determined the nerve agent country of origin and production location, the UK Envoy noted.

"Russia's reckless behavior" violates the ban on chemical arms, according to Wilson.

Russia Expects Answer From OPCW About of BZ Toxin Presence in Skripal Case

16 April 2018, 19:37 GMT

Earlier, a Russian senator had expressed suspicions that the symptoms of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury could be characteristic of the use of the BZ-type non-lethal nerve gas which has been previously used by NATO and which is effective on humans for a maximum period of three days.

On April 14, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that a Swiss laboratory had detected traces of BZ, which has been used by the US and UK armies, in samples sent by the OPCW experts investigating the poisoning of Skripal.

In March, former Russian agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a bench at a shopping center in the UK city of Salisbury.

The UK has accused Moscow of organizing the attack with what UK experts claimed was the A-234 nerve agent. Russia has refuted having any role in the poisoning, pointing to the lack of evidence provided by London to substantiate its accusations.