OPCW backs UK on Salisbury nerve agent attack
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has backed the UK over Salisbury, confirming that the samples it has tested met “the identity of the toxic chemical” named as Novichok by the government.
The nerve agent – which the OPCW did not name in its statement – hospitalised former double agent Sergei Skripal, his daughter Yulia and a police officer. The latter two have since been discharged, while Sergei is said by doctors to be recovering and it is hoped he will soon also be discharged.
“The results of the analysis by the OPCW designated laboratories of environmental and biomedical samples collected by the OPCW team confirm the findings of the United Kingdom relating to the identity of the toxic chemical that was used in Salisbury and severely injured three people,” the independent body said.
Four OPCW-designated laboratories supported the investigation and were thanked for “their swift and thorough analysis” by director general ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü
The OPCW team worked independently and is not involved in the national investigation by the UK authorities. No state party was involved in the technical work, it confirmed today.
Foreign secretary Boris Johnson said: “There can be no doubt what was used and there remains no alternative explanation about who was responsible – only Russia has the means, motive and record. We invited the OPCW to test these samples to ensure strict adherence to international chemical weapons protocols. We have never doubted the analysis of our scientists at Porton Down.”
He added: “We will now work tirelessly with our partners to help stamp out the grotesque use of weapons of this kind and we have called a session of the OPCW Executive Council next Wednesday to discuss next steps. The Kremlin must give answers. We must, as a world community, stand up for the rules based order which keeps us all safe. The use of weapons of this kind can never be justified, and must be ended.”
Last night Yulia Skripal issued a statement refusing contact with both the Russian Embassy and her cousin Viktoria, who lives in Russia and has been denied a visa by the Home Office.
“I have been made aware of my specific contacts at the Russian Embassy who have kindly offered me their assistance in any way they can,” Skripal said. “At the moment I do not wish to avail myself of their services, but, if I change my mind I know how to contact them.
“Most importantly, I am safe and feeling better as time goes by, but I am not yet strong enough to give a full interview to the media, as I one day hope to do. Until that time, I want to stress that no one speaks for me, or for my father, but ourselves. I thank my cousin Viktoria for her concern for us, but ask that she does not visit me or try to contact me for the time being. Her opinions and assertions are not mine and they are not my father’s.”
This afternoon the Russian Embassy tweeted: “So far not a single post-4 March photo of Sergei and Yulia Skripal has emerged. This lack of transparency is here for a reason, and this reason is highly likely not protecting the Russian citizens.”