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Monday 3 July 2017
Poland 1st: Syria says chemical attack

Why Trump visits ex-communist nation before UK probe work of ‘sick mind’

By VANESSA GERA alistic, anti-Muslim rhetoric warm reception would cer- By SARAH EL DEEB
Associated Press that has put both the new tainly be a plus for Trump Associated Press
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — U.S. leader and the Poles after his somewhat awk- BEIRUT (AP) — Syria’s government accused Saturday
President Donald Trump in conflict with leaders in ward debut in Europe in the international chemical weapons watchdog of re-
is breaking with tradition Western Europe. May. lying on the testimonies of “terrorists” in its probe that
by visiting Poland, an ex- Like Trump, Poland’s lead- He also could get a frosty concluded sarin gas was used in a deadly attack in
communist country in cen- ers seek to restore more reception at the G-20 due Syria two months ago.
tral Europe, before making national sovereignty and to his recent decision to The Syrian Foreign Ministry in a statement also lashed
a presidential visit to long- weaken international insti- pull the United States out out at the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical
time allies Britain, France or tutions like the European of the Paris climate accord Weapons, saying its investigation has been subjected
Germany. Union. Some political ob- and other policies. Some to political extortion, costing the agency its credibility
Trump is following in the servers worry that the visit NATO allies have also been and impartiality. The ministry called its findings “the cre-
ation of a sick mind.”
While the OPCW didn’t apportion blame, the U.S., the
U.K. and Syrian activists have held the Syrian govern-
ment responsible for the April 4 on Khan Sheikhoun in
the opposition-controlled Idlib province. More than 90
people, including women and children, were killed,
sparking outrage around the world as photos and vid-
eo of the aftermath, which included quivering children
dying on camera, were widely broadcast.
The U.S. launched a punitive strike against the Syrian
military days after the attack. Syrian President Bashar
Assad and his main backer Russia have denied the use
of chemical weapons, accusing the Syrian opposition
of launching the attacks.
The Syrian foreign ministry said the OPCW had declined
to visit Khan Sheikhoun or the base from which the al-
leged attack was purportedly launched. It said the Syr-
ian government was prepared to cooperate with the
investigators.
“The report comes up with a fabricated and exagger-
ated story that has no credibility and can’t be accept-
ed in any way because it is illogical and is the creation
of a sick mind,” the ministry’s statement said. It ques-
In this photo taken on Saturday, July 1, 2017, Women walk by a poster advertising U.S. President tioned the testimonies collected by the OPCW in Tur-
Donald Trump’s speech, that reads “Donald Trump. First Public Appearance in Europe”, in Warsaw, key from witnesses it called “terrorists” and “perjurers”
Poland. U.S. President Donald Trump has broken with tradition in deciding to visit, Poland, an ex-
communist country in Central Europe, before Britain, France or Germany on Thursday, July 6, 2017. controlled by western intelligence agents.
(AP Photo/Alik Keplicz) It called on the OPCW to prepare “impartial and cred-
ible reports that have not been subjected to extortions
by countries and parties that prevent it from reaching
footsteps of President could further deepen divi- annoyed by Trump’s re- the truth.”
George W. Bush, who af- sions between Poland and peated calls for them to Both the U.S. and the OPCW defended the probe’s
ter becoming president in its Western European part- increase military spending. methodology. Investigators did not visit the scene of
2001 made a trip to Poland ners. There is also concern the attack, deeming it too dangerous, but analyzed
before going to those other Trump’s visit could embold- POLAND SEES U.S. BOOTS samples from victims and survivors, and interviewed
nations. en the Polish government ON THE GROUND witnesses.
The White House has and encourage what the Poles, on the other hand, The investigation’s findings will be used by a joint U.N.-
stressed Poland’s impor- EU sees as an erosion of the can expect only praise OPCW investigation team to determine who was be-
tance as a loyal NATO ally rule of law in Poland. from Trump on their de- hind the attack. The team is expected to issue its next
and its potential as an en- fense expenditures. A U.S. report sometime around October. The OPCW has
ergy partner as reasons for WARSAW CAN PRODUCE ally in Iraq and Afghani- scheduled a July 5 meeting of its executive council to
Trump’s visit, which he will CHEERING CROWDS stan, Poland is one of the discuss the matter.
make Thursday just before Trump can probably count five NATO members that Syria joined the OPCW in 2013 after it was blamed for
attending a Group of 20 on large enthusiastic spends the expected 2 a deadly poison gas attack in a Damascus suburb.
summit in Hamburg, Ger- crowds to greet him in War- percent of gross domestic Assad’s government then declared some 1,300 tons
many. saw, where he is expected product on its military. of chemical weapons and precursor chemicals that
But there are several other to give a major televised The Poland-U.S. security re- were subsequently destroyed in an unprecedented in-
reasons that make Poland address to the nation. In lationship has also gotten ternational operation.
a logical early destination fact, according to Polish a boost this year with the However, the organization still has unanswered ques-
for the new U.S. president. media reports, that is ex- deployment of some 5,000 tions regarding Syria’s initial declaration and whether it
actly what Poland’s gov- U.S. troops to Poland as has wholly disposed of its chemical weapons stockpile.
POLAND FIRST FOR A POPU- ernment promised the part of two separate Amer- The report’s investigative team has previously con-
LIST WELCOME White House in its invitation. ican and NATO missions. cluded that chlorine and sulfur mustard — commonly
Trump will be welcomed To make good on that The deployments are known as mustard gas — were used as weapons in
in Poland by populist lead- pledge, ruling party law- meant to reassure allies on Syria.
ers who are closely aligned makers and pro-govern- NATO’s eastern flank that On Saturday, a Syrian insurgent group said Syrian gov-
with his worldview and who ment activists plan to bus in the alliance is serious about ernment troops used chlorine gas on its fighters during
gained power in 2015 with groups from the provinces protecting them from Rus- clashes near the capital Damascus.q
the same brand of nation- to hear Trump’s speech. A sian aggression. q