And the Art IX saga at the @OPCW regarding the #Navalny poisoning enters another round. Note verbale by the Russian Federation from 2 November: opcw.org/sites/default/… A few observations (thread).
RU refutes the replies by UK, GER, FR and SWE saying "the responses [...] do not contain the necessary information and [the RU side] perceives them to be formalities with no substance that are propagandistic in nature"
This follows the refutation of RU replies to the questions by 45 State Parties. So both sides are unsatisfied with the answers provided and this in principle opens the way for furthers actions under Art IX (opcw.org/chemical-weapo…)
Apart from the usual diplomatic language the RU note verbale also attacks UK, GER and FRA. UK for example is accused of "spreading its tired propagandistic slogans" and being carried away "with their anti-Russian provocations".
GER is accused of being part of a conspiracy among Western States "resulting in Navalny's health incident having been brought to the international level at the OPCW". In addition GERs action "point to an orchestrated provocation aimed at discrediting the Russian Federation".
What becomes apparent from this is the rather poisoned atmosphere that makes it more than unlikely that an official exchange between State Parties to resolve the issue and consultations will lead to a solution.
If informal consultations happen in parallel is of course unknown but again given the general atmosphere not very likely. One possible solution would be to resort to track two diplomacy.
A final thought on the last sentence in the document: "The Omsk medical professionals who saved Navalny's life found no traces of any poisons in his system." Assuming RU speaks about the lab analysis of samples carried out by analytical specialists in Omsk (not by treating MDs).
Would the hospital analysis be able to identify a rare Organophosphorus nerve agent? I think not given that the Charité in Berlin (a leading university hospital) had to resort to the help of a OPCW-designated lab in Munich.
It would be interesting to know if subsequent analysis of samples was carried in Russian OPCW-designated labs and with what results.
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