The Hague
(AFP) - The world's chemical weapons watchdog said it would hold a meeting at
Russia's request Wednesday to discuss Britain's allegations that Moscow was
behind the poisoning of an ex-spy in England.
"The
chairperson of the Executive Council... has received a request by the Permanent
Representative of the Russian Federation... to convene a meeting of the
Executive Council," the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical
Weapons said Tuesday on its website.
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It said the
meeting behind closed doors will start at 10:00 am (0800 GMT) at the OPCW's
headquarters in The Hague.
Britain has
said it is "highly likely" that Moscow was responsible for an attempt
to poison former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the
quiet English city of Salisbury on March 4.
London has
accused Russia of using the Novichok nerve agent, developed in the latter days
of the Soviet Union. Moscow has angrily denied any involvement.
In a letter
dated last Thursday, Russia's ambassador to the OPCW Alexander Shulgin asked
for the meeting to discuss the British allegations "in a confidential
sitting".
After the
poisoning, Britain announced it would expel 23 Russian diplomats, the first in
a series of moves in diplomatic retaliation against Moscow by western
countries.
Britain
suspended high-level diplomatic contact with Moscow and said it would not send
any members of its royal family to the football World Cup Russia is hosting in
June.
In response
Russia expelled 23 British diplomats, closed a British consulate in Saint
Petersburg and halted the activities of the British Council educational and
cultural organisation.
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