[ad_1]
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab stated on August 7 that Britain has summoned the Russian ambassador regarding the alleged poisoning of Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny. Navalny is currently in Germany under treatment for poisoning after he was flown in from Russia.
UK calls for full and transparent investigation
In a series of tweets, Raab revealed that the UK was deeply concerned about the Navalny poisoning and that the use of banned chemicals to poison theirs was unacceptable. The tweet added that Russia must conduct a full and transparent investigation into the incident. The Russian opposition leader who was in a medically induced coma since his poisoning reportedly came out of a coma after his health improved.
Russia has stated that it expects Germany to share all its findings from the medical tests and the Kremlin has denied any involvement in the poisoning and has said that the accusations made against it are unfounded. German health authorities stated last month that there was “unequivocal evidence for the presence of a Novichok group nerve chemical” in Navalny’s blood, as the toxicology report shows.
1/2 Today the United Kingdom summoned the Russian ambassador to the United Kingdom to express its deep concern about the poisoning of Alexey @Navalny. It is completely unacceptable that a prohibited chemical weapon was used and Russia must conduct a full and transparent investigation.
– Dominic Raab (@DominicRaab) September 7, 2020
2/2 Relieved to learn that Alexei Navalny has been brought out of a medically induced coma. I hope your condition continues to improve
– Dominic Raab (@DominicRaab) September 7, 2020
Read: Raab: Russia most likely behind Navalny poisoning
Read: ‘UK-Israel relations strong as ever’: Secy Raab Post meets with his Israeli counterpart
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said that any poisoning of a person through the use of a nerve agent is considered a use of chemical weapons. The Director General of the OPCW, Fernando Arias, said in a statement that such accusation is cause for serious concern and that the signatory states of the Chemical Weapons Convention consider the use of chemical weapons reprehensible.
The poisoning of the Russian opposition leader comes just as Germany is facing pressure to reconsider Russia’s Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, one of two Russian projects in Europe to supply gas to Germany. When asked about the fate of the pipeline should sanctions against Russia be imposed, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said nothing could be ruled out.
(Entrance credit ANI) (Image credit AP)
Read: Kremlin denounces attempts to blame Russia for Navalny poisoning as ‘absurd’
Read: Germany denies ruling out the impact on the Nord Stream project by the Navalny poisoning
[ad_2]
