Russian Envoy: Syrian Opposition Used Chemical Weapons to Provoke Western Invasion

Russia’s UN envoy Vitaly Churkin said that chemical attacks in Syria, including the one in Guta on August 21, were staged by the Syrian opposition, which was trying to provoke armed intervention by western countries.
Churkin was speaking at a meeting of the UN General Assembly behind closed doors on Friday. A transcript of his statement has been circulated by Russia’s permanent mission at the United Nations.

“As is known, the Opposition has always wished to see external armed intervention. It is common knowledge that World War II began with a provocation. A provocation triggered the US war in Vietnam and NATO’s bombardments of Serbia. In this (Syrian) case, there was a provocation involved, too, but a big war was prevented with the well-known initiatives,” Churkin said.