Bashar Jaafari, permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations attends UN Security Council meeting on suspected chemical attacks in Douma, Syria at United Nations Headquarters in New York, United States on April 9, 2018. Mohamm
Moscow: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday said Moscow will propose a UN resolution to investigate alleged chemical weapons attacks in Syria, after Russia rejected a similar move from the US.
Lavrov said Russia would propose a "transparent and honest" investigation with the involvement of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons at the UN Security Council on Tuesday.
Russian-backed Syrian regime forces could ensure the safety of OPCW experts if they were to travel to the scene, he said.
"If, under the pretext of a lack of security guarantees, those who employ anti-Russian arguments to pursue their Russophobic aims do not allow experts to come, then it will be a verdict on their true plans and show that they have no interest in establishing the truth."
The United States put forward a draft resolution Monday following alleged toxic gas use in the rebel-held town of Douma that killed at least 40 people and prompted President Donald Trump to indicate that a decision could be taken imminently on US military action.
Moscow has insisted there is no evidence for a chemical attack and Lavrov previously said Russian experts had visited the scene.
US Ambassador Nikki Haley told Security Council diplomats that the United States wanted a vote on the measure, even though Russia said it contained "some unacceptable elements."
