FROM EIR DAILY ALERT

---

Lavrov Reveals, Swiss Lab Found that Skripal Poison, ‘BZ,’ Is Used by U.S. and U.K., Not Russia

April 14, 2018 (EIRNS)—Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, speaking today at the annual Assembly of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, revealed that the Swiss lab Spiez had determined that “BZ”—3-Quinuclidinyl benzilate—was the poison used against the Skripal, and that it was in use in the U.S., the Britain and other NATO states, but not Russia. He said that the OPCW sent samples of the toxin that they had received from British authorities to the Swiss state Spiez lab, which is one of five internationally recognized centers of excellence which the OPCW authorizes to conduct such tests. Lavrov continued, according to TASS:

“That laboratory, where, I am convinced, professional scientists work, who value their reputation, made the following conclusions. Now I am going to cite the document. The analysis of the samples uncovered traces of the toxic chemical BZ and its precursors falling into the second category of chemical weapons under the Chemical Weapons Convention,”

Lavrov explained.

“The above-mentioned formulas have been in service in the United States, the United Kingdom and some other NATO members,” he went on citing the report. “Neither the Soviet Union nor Russia has ever developed or stockpiled similar chemical weapons.”

Spiez is run by the Swiss Federal Office for Civil Protection, which is under the Defense Ministry. Lavrov reported that Spiez sent its results to the OPCW, which limited itself only to confirming the formula of the substance used, without mentioning any of the other facts contained in the Spiez report. He said that Moscow would be asking the OPCW about that decision.