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UK, US, Germany and France unite to condemn spy attack UK, US, Germany and France unite to condemn spy attack
(35 minutes later)
The leaders of Britain, the US, Germany and France have released a joint statement strongly condemning the Salisbury nerve agent attack as “an assault on UK sovereignty” and saying it is highly likely that Russia was behind it.The leaders of Britain, the US, Germany and France have released a joint statement strongly condemning the Salisbury nerve agent attack as “an assault on UK sovereignty” and saying it is highly likely that Russia was behind it.
The rare united comment from Theresa May, Donald Trump, Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron, released by Downing Street, follows extensive UK efforts to drum up international support for its response to the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter with the novichok nerve agent.The rare united comment from Theresa May, Donald Trump, Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron, released by Downing Street, follows extensive UK efforts to drum up international support for its response to the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter with the novichok nerve agent.
The statement says: “This use of a military-grade nerve agent, of a type developed by Russia, constitutes the first offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe since the second world war.”The statement says: “This use of a military-grade nerve agent, of a type developed by Russia, constitutes the first offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe since the second world war.”
It begins by saying the four leaders “abhor the attack that took place against Sergei and Yulia Skripal” in Salisbury.It begins by saying the four leaders “abhor the attack that took place against Sergei and Yulia Skripal” in Salisbury.
“A British police officer who was also exposed in the attack remains seriously ill, and the lives of many innocent British citizens have been threatened,” it reads. “We express our sympathies to them all, and our admiration for the UK police and emergency services for their courageous response.“A British police officer who was also exposed in the attack remains seriously ill, and the lives of many innocent British citizens have been threatened,” it reads. “We express our sympathies to them all, and our admiration for the UK police and emergency services for their courageous response.
“It is an assault on UK sovereignty and any such use by a state party is a clear violation of the chemical weapons convention and a breach of international law.“It is an assault on UK sovereignty and any such use by a state party is a clear violation of the chemical weapons convention and a breach of international law.
“It threatens the security of us all. The United Kingdom briefed thoroughly its allies that it was highly likely that Russia was responsible for the attack. “It threatens the security of us all. The United Kingdom thoroughly briefed its allies that it was highly likely that Russia was responsible for the attack.
“We share the UK assessment that there is no plausible alternative explanation, and note that Russia’s failure to address the legitimate request by the UK government further underlines its responsibility.”“We share the UK assessment that there is no plausible alternative explanation, and note that Russia’s failure to address the legitimate request by the UK government further underlines its responsibility.”
The unambiguous tone of the comments about Russia will greatly please British ministers, who have spent the past few days seeking to persuade allies to take this line, notably France, where Macron’s spokesman warned the UK on Wednesday against “fantasy politics”.The unambiguous tone of the comments about Russia will greatly please British ministers, who have spent the past few days seeking to persuade allies to take this line, notably France, where Macron’s spokesman warned the UK on Wednesday against “fantasy politics”.
There was overwhelming support for the UK from its allies, including the US, at a meeting of the UN security council overnight.There was overwhelming support for the UK from its allies, including the US, at a meeting of the UN security council overnight.
Washington’s envoy, Nikki Haley, said: “Let me make one thing clear from the very beginning: the United States stands in absolute solidarity with Great Britain. The United States believes that Russia is responsible for the attack on two people in the United Kingdom using a military-grade nerve agent.”Washington’s envoy, Nikki Haley, said: “Let me make one thing clear from the very beginning: the United States stands in absolute solidarity with Great Britain. The United States believes that Russia is responsible for the attack on two people in the United Kingdom using a military-grade nerve agent.”
The new joint statement calls on Russia to “address all questions related to the attack”, and provide full disclosure of the novichok programme to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague.The new joint statement calls on Russia to “address all questions related to the attack”, and provide full disclosure of the novichok programme to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague.
It ends: “Our concerns are also heightened against the background of a pattern of earlier irresponsible Russian behaviour. We call on Russia to live up to its responsibilities as a member of the UN security council to uphold international peace and security.”It ends: “Our concerns are also heightened against the background of a pattern of earlier irresponsible Russian behaviour. We call on Russia to live up to its responsibilities as a member of the UN security council to uphold international peace and security.”
It comes a day after May announced the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats from the UK and a range of other measures to crack down on “corrupt elites”, including new measures to combat spying. On Wednesday May announced the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats from the UK and a range of other measures to crack down on “corrupt elites”, including new measures to combat spying.
The expulsion was the largest such move since the cold war, and marked a considerable escalation on the expulsion of four diplomats after the murder of Alexander Litvinenko in 2007.The expulsion was the largest such move since the cold war, and marked a considerable escalation on the expulsion of four diplomats after the murder of Alexander Litvinenko in 2007.
During a visit to Salisbury on Thursday, May said: “We do hold Russia culpable for this brazen and despicable act that has taken place on the streets of what is such a remarkable city.” During a visit to Salisbury on Thursday, May said: “We do hold Russia culpable for this brazen and despicable act that has taken place on the streets of what is such a remarkable city.
Russia is expected to take retaliatory measures imminently, and has angrily dismissed the UK measures. “This happened in the UK, but it could have happened anywhere and we are taking a united stance against it.”
Speaking earlier on Thursday the foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, told BBC News: “There is something in the kind of smug, sarcastic response that we’ve heard that indicates their fundamental guilt. They want to simultaneously deny it, yet at the same time to glory in it.”Speaking earlier on Thursday the foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, told BBC News: “There is something in the kind of smug, sarcastic response that we’ve heard that indicates their fundamental guilt. They want to simultaneously deny it, yet at the same time to glory in it.”
He also suggested that Putin had some responsibility for the attack. “There is very little doubt in people’s minds that this is a signature act by the Russia state – deliberately using novichok, a nerve agent developed by Russia to punish a Russian defector as they would see it, and in the run-up to Vladimir Putin’s election.” He also suggested Putin had some responsibility for the attack. “There is very little doubt in people’s minds that this is a signature act by the Russia state – deliberately using novichok, a nerve agent developed by Russia to punish a Russian defector as they would see it, and in the run-up to Vladimir Putin’s election.”
The Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, on Thursday confirmed that Moscow would soon expel British diplomats from the country in a tit-for-tat response, Russian state news agencies reported.
Asked by journalists at a press conference whether diplomatic expulsions would be included in a Russian response, Lavrov said: “Absolutely.” Asked when those statements would be made public, he said: “Soon.”
“As polite people, we’ll first be delivering our response to our British counterparts,” Lavrov said.
Sergei SkripalSergei Skripal
FranceFrance
RussiaRussia
GermanyGermany
EspionageEspionage
EuropeEurope
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