US, France, Germany, Canada back UK Novichok findings

The leaders of Britain, the United States, France, Germany and Canada said they had "full confidence" that the Novichok attack suspects were officers from Russia's military intelligence service.

United States UN Ambassador Nikki Haley address a UN Security meeting on alleged Russian chemical attack in Britain

FILE: UN Ambassador Nikki Haley address a UN Security meeting on alleged Russian chemical attack in Britain Source: AP

In a joint statement reiterating their "outrage", the five leaders also said they were completely confident the attempted killing of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal on British soil in March "was almost certainly approved at a senior government level" in Russia.

They also urged Moscow to come clean to the organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) about its Novichok programme.

The leaders added they would strengthen their activities to defend their societies against "malign state activity" and disrupt the hostile actions of foreign intelligence networks.

"We, the leaders of France, Germany, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, reiterate our outrage at the use of a chemical nerve agent, known as Novichok, in Salisbury on March 4," they said in the statement, issued in London.

They welcomed the progress made in the investigation and the attempted murder charges brought against Russian suspects Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, announced by Britain on Wednesday.

They also noted the OPCW's findings that "the exact same chemical nerve agent" was used in the fatal poisoning of Dawn Sturgess. She was the girlfriend of Charlie Rowley, who had picked up a fake perfume bottle containing Novichok.
An undated combo handout photo made available by the British London Metropolitan Police (MPS) showing Alexander Petrov (R) and Ruslan Boshirov (L).
An undated combo handout photo made available by the British London Metropolitan Police (MPS) showing Alexander Petrov (R) and Ruslan Boshirov (L). Source: AAP
"We urge Russia to provide full disclosure of its Novichok programme to the OPCW," they said.

"We have full confidence in the British assessment that the two suspects were officers from the Russian military intelligence service, also known as the GRU, and that this operation was almost certainly approved at a senior government level."
They said the mass expulsion of undeclared GRU officers in Russian embassies in the wake of the Salisbury attack had disrupted the service's activities.

"Yesterday's announcement further strengthens our intent to continue to disrupt together the hostile activities of foreign intelligence networks on our territories, uphold the prohibition of chemical weapons, protect our citizens and defend ourselves from all forms of malign state activity directed against us and our societies."

A Downing Street spokesman said Prime Minister Theresa May spoke to US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, Canadian leader Justin Trudeau Wednesday and French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel earlier Thursday.


Share
Published 7 September 2018 4:41am
Updated 7 September 2018 5:24am
Source: AFP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world