Germany doubts Russia’s proposal to probe Douma attack

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN

Chancellor Angela Merkel voiced skepticism on Tuesday about Russia’s proposal to send international experts to Syria to investigate the alleged chemical gas attack in Syria’s Douma.

Speaking at a news conference in Berlin, Merkel called for a stronger international stance, and a resolution at the UN Security Council that would prevent further such reported attacks in Syria.

“The evidence clearly and explicitly shows that chemical weapons were used there,” she said, referring to the attack in Douma on Saturday which left at least 78 civilians dead.

“This can be examined again, but it would not further help us in condemning this incident,” she said.

Merkel’s spokesman Steffen Seibert said on Monday the circumstances surrounding the attack in Douma pointed out that it was carried out by regime forces.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov proposed on Tuesday a visit of international experts from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to probe the incident in Douma.

He said such a visit would show the Syrian military had not used chemical weapons.