Stoltenberg calls on Moscow to disclose Novichok program and warns of ‘international response.’
NATO demanded Friday that Russia explain how opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned by a military-grade chemical nerve agent — and it warned of an unspecified “international response” to the assassination attempt.
“Germany briefed allies on the findings of the special laboratory,” Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said after chairing a meeting of the North Atlantic Council, the alliance’s governing body, focused on the attack. “There is proof beyond doubt that Mr. Navalny was poisoned by using a military nerve grade agent from the Novichok group. The use of such a weapon is horrific.”
“Any use of chemical weapons shows a total disrespect for human lives, and is an unacceptable breach of international norms and rules,” Stoltenberg said. “NATO allies agree that Russia now has serious questions it must answer. The Russian government must fully cooperate with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons on an impartial, international investigation.”
Stoltenberg said the attack represented a violation of the international prohibition on chemical weapons and that there would be a response. “We strongly believe that this is a blatant violation of international law, so it requires an international response,” he said. “But I will not now speculate about exactly what kind of international response.”
While Stoltenberg did not point a finger directly at Russian President Vladimir Putin, it was clear that he was joining German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other Western leaders in saying the Kremlin ultimately holds responsibility for the attack on Russian soil, and the use of a chemical derivative of Novichok, a nerve agent developed by the Russian military.
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NATO demanded that Russia explain how opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned by a military-grade chemical nerve agent — and it warned of an unspecified "international response" to the assassination attempthttps://t.co/A4UA4N63JN
— POLITICO (@politico) September 4, 2020
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