'Groundless Statements' From US on Syria Could Top UN Security Council's Agenda

The Trump administration's statements that it will not give proof of its allegations that the Syrian government is preparing a chemical attack are out of line with norms of international relations, Russian political analyst Lev Klepatsky told Sputnik.

Earlier this week, White House spokesperson Sean Spicer claimed that the United States allegedly "observed potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack by the Assad regime…"

According to Spicer, "the activities are similar to preparations the regime made before its April 4, 2017 chemical weapons attack."

State Department spokeswoman  Heather Nauert, for her part, said during a press briefing on Tuesday that that she could not provide evidence of the Syrian government 's alleged chemical attack preparations because that "would be considered an intelligence matter."

A victim of a suspected chemical attack as he receives treatment at a makeshift hospital, in the town of Khan Sheikhoun, northern Idlib province, Syria. File photo

© AP Photo / Edlib Media Center

"So as you all are aware, there are a lot of these things that will pop up sometimes, that we just can't get into the details about this, but this has obviously gotten the attention of the United States government at the highest level," she said.

These remarks may be put on the table of the UN Security Council, Professor Lev Klepatsky of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Diplomatic Academy said in an interview with Sputnik.

"Such a statement does not comply with the norms of international relations. Washington's reluctance to give proof of its groundless statements about the Syrian government's preparations for a chemical attack can be seen as a declaration of war," Klepatsky said.

"This is why the UN Security Council may deal with this statement during its upcoming meeting. This should take a toll on the US and its international clout," he added.

Meanwhile, deputy White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said that the United States believes that their signal on Syria is "extremely understandable." She did not elaborate.

Syria is planning a chemical attack??? Hmm….
Remember the CIA lies that got us into Iraq and Libya?

— P. J. (@Portosj81) 28 июня 2017 г.

Asked about what signal the White House wanted to send to the international community and the Americans by issuing allegations about the Syrian government's chemical attack preparations, Sanders said that "the signal from the White House is very clear," RIA Novosti reported.

At the same time, Sanders refused to explain how the US Administration had come to this conclusion.

1) is Syria planning a chemical weapons attack, or 2) is the US planning a false flag chemical weapons attack blamed on Syria?

Probably 2.

— Supreme Dark Lord (@voxday) 27 июня 2017 г.

The Independent, for its part, quoted sources in the Pentagon and the Central Command, which oversees the country's military operations in Syria and Iraq as saying that they "have no idea" why the White House made the statement on Damascus' alleged plans to launch a chemical attack.

On April 4, the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, supported by the United States, blamed the Syrian government for an alleged chemical weapon attack in Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib province which claimed the lives of dozens of civilians.

Reacting to the incident, Washington, which had not presented any proof that Damascus had used chemical weapons, launched 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at the Syrian military airfield in Ash Sha'irat on April 6.

Damascus has repeatedly denied any involvement in the incident and said that the Syrian government doesn't possess chemical weapons as the full destruction of Damascus’ chemical weapons stockpile was confirmed by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in January 2016.

In an interview with Sputnik on April 21, Assad characterized the alleged chemical attack in Khan Sheikhoun as a provocation to justify the US strike on Ash Sha'irat. The Syrian leader also warned of the possibility of new provocations similar to the one in Khan Sheikhoun.