Syria, Russia Accuse US of Lying about Chemical Weapons Attacks

 

Syria and Russia say the United States has lied about chemical weapons attacks in the Syrian conflict as a way of blocking efforts to end the fighting.

A Syrian foreign ministry¹ source condemned² what it called “lies and allegations” by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

SANA, Syria's state-operated news agency, reported the Syrian official’s comments.

Separately, a Russian diplomat³ said that whenever progress is made in peace efforts, the United States releases "unverified reports" of chemical weapons attacks in Syria. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov spoke⁴ to the Interfax news agency.

Those comments came a day after the United States and NATO launched a campaign to stop the use of chemical weapons in Syria. The alliance noted⁵ Russia’s protection of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government.

"The recent attacks in East Ghouta raise serious concerns that Bashar al-Assad’s Syrian regime might be continuing its use of chemical weapons against its own people," Tillerson said. He spoke at a conference in Paris.

Tillerson said at least 20 people were killed Monday in what is believed to be a chlorine gas attack in East Ghouta, an area controlled by rebels near Damascus.

The U.S. official said that Russia must accept responsibility for the East Ghouta attack as well as other attacks because of its involvement in Syria.

Tillerson was among the diplomats⁶ who launched the International Partnership⁷ against Impunity⁸ for Use of Chemical Weapons on Tuesday. More than 20 nations agreed to a commitment to share information on fighting the use of chemical weapons worldwide.

The secretary of state said Russia's failure to stop the use of chemical weapons in Syria raises questions about its commitment to resolving the conflict.

"At a very minimum, Russia must stop vetoing and at least abstain⁹ from future (United Nations) Security Council votes” about Syria, Tillerson said.

In November, Russia vetoed plans to finance an independent and technical group created by the Security Council. The group, known as the Joint¹⁰ Investigative Mechanism¹¹ (JIM), was set up to investigate those responsible for chemical weapons attacks in Syria.

The U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said the Russian veto sent a message to the world that “chemical weapons use is acceptable” and no one will be held accountable. Her comments were in a statement released on Tuesday.

Turkey's offensive in the northern Syrian community of Afrin was also discussed at Tuesday's talks in Paris. Tillerson met there with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

On Monday, during a stop in London, the secretary of state said the United States is "concerned" about the offensive against U.S.-supported Kurdish YPG fighters in Syria.

Turkish military operations on Monday attempted to push the Kurdish militia¹² out of the Afrin area. The militia controls parts of northern Syria and has been successful in the fight against Islamic State militants¹³.

Turkey considers the YPG to be a terrorist organization. Turkish officials have linked it to the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party, which has fought for Kurdish self-rule in Turkey.

On Tuesday, French Foreign Minister Le Drian expressed his concern about Turkey’s military operation in Afrin.

"I had the opportunity to tell my Turkish colleague that this offensive worries us," Le Drian said. He added he understood Turkey’s concerns about border security, but asked for ‘restraint.’

Turkey shelled Afrin after the U.S.-led coalition¹⁴ said it would form a Kurdish-led, 30,000 member militia to help with border security in northern Syria.

The U.S. government later said it was not creating a border force and the goal was to improve security in liberated¹⁵ areas.

I'm Susan Shand.

Words in This Story

source – n. someone or something that provides what is needed

allegation – n. a claim or accusation¹⁶

unverified – adj. unconfirmed

regime – n. a form of government

commitment – n. a promise to do or give something

abstain – v. to choose not to do or have something

minimum – n. the lowest in a set of numbers; the smallest amount

restraint – n. control over one’s behavior

1 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

2 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

3 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

8 impunity   

n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除

参考例句：

• You will not escape with impunity.你不可能逃脱惩罚。
• The impunity what compulsory insurance sets does not include escapement.交强险规定的免责范围不包括逃逸。

9 abstain   

v.自制，戒绝，弃权，避免

参考例句：

• His doctor ordered him to abstain from beer and wine.他的医生嘱咐他戒酒。
• Three Conservative MPs abstained in the vote.三位保守党下院议员投了弃权票。

10 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

11 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

12 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

13 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

14 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

15 liberated   

a.无拘束的，放纵的

参考例句：

• The city was liberated by the advancing army. 军队向前挺进，解放了那座城市。
• The heat brings about a chemical reaction, and oxygen is liberated. 热量引起化学反应，释放出氧气。

16 accusation   

n.控告，指责，谴责

参考例句：

• I was furious at his making such an accusation.我对他的这种责备非常气愤。
• She knew that no one would believe her accusation.她知道没人会相信她的指控。