Lavrov says US blocking Russian resolution impedes Syria chemical probe

The US blocking the draft UN Security Council resolution introduced by Bolivia on the renewal of the UN-OPCW Joint Investigative Mechanism mandate shows that Washington does not want this mechanism to be “honest, understandable and effective,” Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said. The draft had all the necessary amendments that should be introduced to the mechanism’s work “to make it truly unbiased and honest,” Sputnik quoted the minister as saying. Russia made clear its point of view concerning the need to reform the investigative mechanism; however, the US only pretended to take Russia’s remarks into account, he said.