Russian opposition over accepting proof of chemical attack in Syria seems as staunch as last week when Russian President Vladimir Putin said Washington’s claims on the issue consisted of lies.
This Monday, while speaking at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov reiterated that there was “nothing concrete” about US claims on the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian Assad regime.
Lavrov insisted, “There are no facts, there is just dialogue about ‘what we know for sure’ … and when we ask for more detailed confirmation, they say, ‘You know, it’s all secret, so we can’t show you.’ That means such facts aren’t there.”
Last week Putin dismissed claims made from Washington as preposterous, and that when Assad’s forces were winning, the regime would hardly provoke international intervention with a chemical attack.
However, the US is going ahead with plans to engage in another war.
On Sunday, US Secretary of State, John Kerry stated on ABC News that the “case is growing stronger by the day,” and criticized Russia for not accepting the evidence.
He said in the interview, “We’ve offered the Russians previously to have a briefing on this. In fact, we sent people over to Russia who have provided evidence we had … And they chose, I literally mean chose, not to believe it …”
However, on the very next day, the Russian Foreign Minister expressed surprise at such comments being made by Kerry and said it was “strange to hear.”
While the President is readying to face the Congress over the question of launching military strikes on Syria, by the end of the week he would also be facing Putin at the G-20 summit.
While on Saturday, Obama had talked of a limited narrow military strike on Syria, opposition and public outcry against another war made him do an about turn, and right now he is apparently seeking authorization of the Congress before engaging in a new war.