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| Boris Johnson's Syria war crime claims 'Russophobic hysteria', says Moscow | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Accusations by the UK foreign secretary Boris Johnson of a Russian attack on an aid convoy in Syria are “Russophobic hysteria”, the Russian defence ministry has said. | |
| “There were no Russian planes in the area of the aid convoy to Aleppo. That is a fact,” ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement. | “There were no Russian planes in the area of the aid convoy to Aleppo. That is a fact,” ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement. |
| Johnson said on Tuesday there was evidence showing Russia was responsible for the attack. | Johnson said on Tuesday there was evidence showing Russia was responsible for the attack. |
| Making his frontbench debut as foreign secretary in a Commons debate, Johnson said Russia should be investigated for war crimes in Aleppo and took the unusual step of calling for demonstrations by anti-war protesters outside the Russian embassy in London. | Making his frontbench debut as foreign secretary in a Commons debate, Johnson said Russia should be investigated for war crimes in Aleppo and took the unusual step of calling for demonstrations by anti-war protesters outside the Russian embassy in London. |
| Johnson said “the mills of justice grind slowly, but they grind small” as he predicted those responsible for war crimes in Syria would eventually face charges before the international criminal court. | Johnson said “the mills of justice grind slowly, but they grind small” as he predicted those responsible for war crimes in Syria would eventually face charges before the international criminal court. |
| Johnson’s remarks underline the degree to which relations between Russia and the west have deteriorated to levels not seen since the end of the cold war. | Johnson’s remarks underline the degree to which relations between Russia and the west have deteriorated to levels not seen since the end of the cold war. |
| Johnson appeared to reject calls for a no-fly zone over areas of Syria, saying: “We cannot commit to a no-fly zone unless we are prepared to confront and perhaps shoot down planes or helicopters that violate that zone. We need to think very carefully about the consequences.” | Johnson appeared to reject calls for a no-fly zone over areas of Syria, saying: “We cannot commit to a no-fly zone unless we are prepared to confront and perhaps shoot down planes or helicopters that violate that zone. We need to think very carefully about the consequences.” |
| But, he added, he was sympathetic to those who made the call, and wanted to work through the options with Britain’s allies. | But, he added, he was sympathetic to those who made the call, and wanted to work through the options with Britain’s allies. |
| The Foreign Office is known to be preparing for a more assertive Syrian policy if Hillary Clinton becomes the US president in January, but senior UN figures have warned that eastern Aleppo is likely to have fallen to forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad by then if the bombardment continues at its present rate. | The Foreign Office is known to be preparing for a more assertive Syrian policy if Hillary Clinton becomes the US president in January, but senior UN figures have warned that eastern Aleppo is likely to have fallen to forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad by then if the bombardment continues at its present rate. |
| Johnson called for demonstrations outside the Russian embassy in London and asked why leftwing protest groups seemed to lack the outrage over Russian conduct in Syria. “I would certainly like to see demonstrations outside the Russian embassy,” he said. “Where is the Stop the War coalition?” | |
| He insisted he was not leading an anti-Russia campaign, pointing out the US had done its utmost to work with the Russian foreign ministry to bring about a ceasefire. The US “had concluded, rightly, that Russia was determined to help President Bashar al-Assad’s onslaught regardless of any agreement”. | He insisted he was not leading an anti-Russia campaign, pointing out the US had done its utmost to work with the Russian foreign ministry to bring about a ceasefire. The US “had concluded, rightly, that Russia was determined to help President Bashar al-Assad’s onslaught regardless of any agreement”. |
| He added: “If Russia continues on its current path I believe that this great country is in danger of becoming a pariah nation, and if President [Vladimir] Putin’s strategy is to restore the greatness and the glory of Russia, then I believe he risks his ambition turning to ashes in the face of international contempt for what is happening in Syria.” | He added: “If Russia continues on its current path I believe that this great country is in danger of becoming a pariah nation, and if President [Vladimir] Putin’s strategy is to restore the greatness and the glory of Russia, then I believe he risks his ambition turning to ashes in the face of international contempt for what is happening in Syria.” |
| A post on the Russian embassy’s Twitter feed said: | |
| Very unusual call from the Foreign Secretary to hold demonstrations in front of the Russian embassy. New form of British diplomacy? pic.twitter.com/rzxUkGyyrQ | Very unusual call from the Foreign Secretary to hold demonstrations in front of the Russian embassy. New form of British diplomacy? pic.twitter.com/rzxUkGyyrQ |
| The press secretary at the Russian embassy said in a statement later: “The jihadists keep terrorising the civilians and fighting, rejecting ceasefire and humanitarian aid deliveries. | The press secretary at the Russian embassy said in a statement later: “The jihadists keep terrorising the civilians and fighting, rejecting ceasefire and humanitarian aid deliveries. |
| “Britain’s logic implies putting an end to fighting terrorists and their allies. Our logic is different. Fight on to destroy the jihadists, sparing the civilians.” | “Britain’s logic implies putting an end to fighting terrorists and their allies. Our logic is different. Fight on to destroy the jihadists, sparing the civilians.” |
| In a debate that revealed the deep foreign policy fissure in the Labour party, the shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry, called for the UK to back the escorting of jihadi fighters out of eastern Aleppo, as had happened in Homs. She said a ceasefire could be implemented afterwards if the proposal, put forward by the UN special envoy for Syria, was carried out. | In a debate that revealed the deep foreign policy fissure in the Labour party, the shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry, called for the UK to back the escorting of jihadi fighters out of eastern Aleppo, as had happened in Homs. She said a ceasefire could be implemented afterwards if the proposal, put forward by the UN special envoy for Syria, was carried out. |
| A briefing paper issued by the Labour party to MPs referred to the possibility that Russia had committed war crimes but only if the targeting of civilians was deliberate. Thornberry said statesmanship, not brinkmanship was required, and that Russia and the US were one wrong decision away from a world war. | A briefing paper issued by the Labour party to MPs referred to the possibility that Russia had committed war crimes but only if the targeting of civilians was deliberate. Thornberry said statesmanship, not brinkmanship was required, and that Russia and the US were one wrong decision away from a world war. |
| Johnson rejected her support for the jihadi proposal, saying a ceasefire had to precede the removal of al-Nusra fighters, a group regarded as the Syrian franchise of al-Qaida. | |
| Reuters contributed to this report | Reuters contributed to this report |