Russia loses bid for joint inquiry into nerve attack

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Russia's call for a joint inquiry to be held into the poisoning of a former Russian double agent in England failed on Wednesday when it was outvoted 15-6 at a meeting of the global chemical weapons watchdog.

Russia had called an emergency meeting of the decision-making executive of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to counter accusations by Britain that it was behind the March 4 nerve agent poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, England.

UK's security services believe they have pinpointed the location of Russian laboratory that manufactured the nerve agent Novichok used in Salisbury attack, The Times reported on Wednesday. Britain was aware of the existence of the site before March 4, the report said.

Representatives and employees of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons arrive at the headquarter building for a special council about the Sergei Skripal case in The Hague, Netherlands. /VCG Photo

The European Union has maintained that Russia is probably responsible for the attack despite the UK's inability to pinpoint the source of the chemical.

Britain's charges of Russian involvement, strongly denied by Moscow, have triggered mass expulsions of diplomats by both Britain's allies in the West, including the United States, and similar retaliatory action by Russia.

When the meeting convened on Wednesday, Russia proposed a joint investigation into the poisoning as it was not invited to participate in an independent probe being carried out by the OPCW at Britain's request, results of which are due next week.

Britain called the Russian proposal for a joint investigation a "perverse" attempt to escape blame for the poisoning of the Skripals, and part of a disinformation campaign mounted by Moscow.

August 9, 2006: Former Russian military intelligence colonel Sergei Skripal attends a hearing at the Moscow District Military Court in Moscow, Russia. /VCG Photo

Russia's proposal drew support from China, Azerbaijan, Sudan, Algeria and Iran, with the US and European members voting against the plan. There were 17 abstentions among members of the organization's 41-member council, only 38 of whose members were present and eligible to vote on Wednesday.

Russia's ambassador to the OPCW, Aleksander Shulgin, confirmed that the vote had been lost.

Separately on Wednesday, Russia requested a public meeting of the United Nations Security Council on April 5 to discuss the British accusations against Moscow, Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said.

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Source(s): Reuters