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West to block probe into chemical attack in Syria: Analyst

Saturday, 26 December 2015 6:21 PM [ Last Update: Saturday, 26 December 2015 6:55 PM ]

A file photo taken on January 13, 2014 shows people being treated at a field hospital after a poison gas attack by foreign-backed militants in suburban Damascus. (AFP photo)

Press TV has interviewed James Jatras, a former US Senate foreign policy analyst in Washington, about Russia saying an international probe of a 2013 chemical attack in Syria should take into account recent statements by a Turkish lawmaker that Ankara allegedly had a role in shipping gas precursors to the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group for the attack.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: Well tell us is it going to make a difference now that Russia is demanding that there be an independent investigation into this and looking at Turkey’s alleged role? Is it going to happen do you think?

Jatras: I think it is not likely. I think it is good to call for this investigation but I think Western governments will do what they can to block an honest and objective investigation.

Let’s be clear. Ever since the Ghouta incident in 2013 when United States almost led an attack directly on the Syrian government, this notion that Assad has been using gas against his own people has become a staple of the Western media narrative about Syria and despite the fact that soon after that event there were good stories exposing the likelihood that this was a provocation by the anti-government forces possibly with the assistance of Turkey, that story has been out there but you do not see the corrections. You do not people say wait a minute, you made it was not Assad, it was actually the terrorists, they were using the gas as a political ploy so I think it is high time that it was dug into to find out exactly what happened here but as I say there is just too much invested by Western media and Western governments in the contrary narrative.

Press TV: Isn’t it somewhat different though right now because Russia is being very aggressive actually in trying to get now this probed done or this side of the story, because before though Russia has always supported President Assad it was somewhat different several years ago? How do you see Russia’s role in all of this and perhaps being able to expose some of the realities that have taken place over the past several years in Syria?

Jatras: I expect the Russians to push very hard for this and I encourage them to do so but to be quite honest it seems to me for Western governments that this will be almost a disincentive to cooperate because thwarting the Russians, thwarting Iran are as important for Western governments if not more so than overthrowing Assad.

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