Don’t repeat Iraq mistake, Russia warns America
15 Jun 2013 1:38 AM GMT
Russia said on Friday US data on the Syrian regime’s alleged use of chemical weapons was ‘unconvincing,’ and warned Washington against repeating the mistake it made when invading Iraq after falsely accusing Saddam Hussein of stocking weapons of mass destruction.
The Kremlin’s top foreign policy adviser Yury Ushakov also said the US decision to provide military aid to Syrian rebels would damage international efforts to end a conflict that has left tens of thousands dead. The Syrian war will take centre stage next week in Northern Ireland where global leaders, including president Vladimir Putin, gather for G8 summit.
Ushakov said US officials had recently presented Russia with new information about the alleged use of chemical weapons against rebels by Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s forces. ‘What was presented by the Americans does not look convincing to us. I would not want to make any parallels, I would not want to believe that this data can be similar to the situation with the vial that (US) secretary of state Colin Powell brandished at the famous security council meeting,’ he told reporters.
Ushakov was referring to a UN security council meeting in 2003 at which Powell held up a vial that he said could contain anthrax as he presented evidence of Iraq’s alleged arms programmes.
The Kremlin’s top foreign policy adviser Yury Ushakov also said the US decision to provide military aid to Syrian rebels would damage international efforts to end a conflict that has left tens of thousands dead. The Syrian war will take centre stage next week in Northern Ireland where global leaders, including president Vladimir Putin, gather for G8 summit.
Ushakov said US officials had recently presented Russia with new information about the alleged use of chemical weapons against rebels by Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s forces. ‘What was presented by the Americans does not look convincing to us. I would not want to make any parallels, I would not want to believe that this data can be similar to the situation with the vial that (US) secretary of state Colin Powell brandished at the famous security council meeting,’ he told reporters.
Ushakov was referring to a UN security council meeting in 2003 at which Powell held up a vial that he said could contain anthrax as he presented evidence of Iraq’s alleged arms programmes.
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