"Such a procedure for the 'independent verification' of a nerve agent, newly-initiated by the British, is non-transparent, goes beyond the limits of the mechanisms outlined in the OPCW. This initiative is yet another step towards politicizing the OPCW to the detriment of its reputation. Once again we urge the UK authorities to show their openness in the investigation, while it is still possible to try to correct the damage they have already inflicted on the international image of their country," the spokesman for the Russian Embassy in London said.
"However, the British have flatly refused any cooperation with us, did not provide clear answers to our legitimate, reasonable and informative questions. Instead, directly undermining the letter and spirit of the OPCW, they continued to put forward numerous unjustified accusations against Russia, refusing to engage in a constructive dialogue," the spokesman said.
Earlier this week, the UK Foreign Office said that the experts from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) would arrive in the United Kingdom at the beginning of next week to examine the substance found in the house of Charlie Rowley, who was poisoned in the Amesbury nerve agent incident.
Scotland Yard later confirmed that a man and a woman had been poisoned with the same substance as ex-colonel of the GRU Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.
On the evening of July 8, 44-year-old Dawn Sturgess, who suffered from poisoning, died at the Salisbury District Hospital.
The second victim, 45-year-old Charlie Rowley, later regained consciousness. London has accused the Russian authorities of poisoning the Skripals, Moscow has categorically denied all the accusations.