MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Moscow calls for avoiding allegations regarding chemical weapons remaining in Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Sunday.
"Sometimes there are publications that something undeclared [chemical weapon] could remain in Syria. They are all being checked. In regard to this matter, it is necessary to avoid any unfounded accusations, and to present only the facts that confirm these fears," Lavrov told Rossiya-1 television.
"I guarantee that all of these facts will be rechecked, and we have every reason to believe that the Syrian government will continue to work closely with us", Lavrov said.
When agreeing on the removal and destruction of chemical weapons in Syria with the United States, Moscow did not set any conditions including about the future of the country, the Russian top diplomat said.
"We never set any conditions, because we considered solving the problem of the weapons of mass destruction to be absolutely necessary and important in itself. In this case, it was chemical weapons in Syria," Lavrov said.
The Russian foreign minister said that Washington continued to insist it could not recognize the Assad regime.
"I cannot say that part of the agreement on the destruction of chemical weapons [in Syria] was steering away from the US position on political reforms in Syria" Lavrov said.
According to the resolution, the UN secretary general and the OPCW are to submit recommendations regarding the establishment of the mechanism to the Security Council within 20 days after the adoption of the resolution.
A mission to eliminate Syria's chemical arsenal was announced after a deadly gas attack killed hundreds outside Damascus in August 2013.
