Russian FM says US has preconceived position on Aleppo chemical attack

Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov said the United States did not respond to the chemical attack that targeted the Syrian town of Aleppo on Saturday because Washington usually adopts preconceived positions in such cases.

Asked about Washington’s delay in commenting on the chemical attack on Aleppo despite its fast response to the attack on Khan Sheikhoun in April 2017, Lavrov said “sometimes they do not care about conducting a special investigation into what happened. They have a preconceived position of who is an acceptable extremist, and who should be targeted in efforts to change the regime”.

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“In the case of Khan Sheikhoun, the Americans asked us first to obtain the Syrian government approval to allow inspectors to visit the Shayrat Airbase from which an aeroplane took off on an anti-terrorism mission in Khan Sheikhoun. The Americans claimed the aeroplane carried chemical bombs” Lavrov said, adding “One day later, we consulted the Syrian government and it agreed to allow the inspectors to visit the airbase. But, as soon as we told the Americans, they refused the inspection and shortly later they hit the airport”.

The Russian foreign minister’s statement came after a chemical attack on Aleppo neighbourhoods on Saturday evening. The attack led to wounding nearly 100 people.