Russia believes no country can make unilateral decision on Syria

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Russia believes no country can make unilateral decision on Syria

(Xinhua) 19:55, August 30, 2013

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MOSCOW, Aug. 30 -- Russia believed no country had the right to make decisions concerning Syria on a whim without UN mandate, the Kremlin said Friday.

No state or a group of states could have a right to "file the charges, make a ruling and to execute their own sentence," presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters.

"Such actions, bypassing the UN Security Council, should they happen, will incur enormous damage to the system based on the UN's central role, and to the entire modern world order," he said.

The official said the situation in Syria itself would not become calmer or more stable in that case.

"Russia keeps working actively to avoid a military scenario in Syria," he said.

In addition, Moscow did not understand the logic by which UN experts investigating alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria must leave that country all at once, Ushakov said.

"It is not quite clear why they all must return to The Hague in one group while there are many questions remaining about alleged use of chemical weapons," Ushakov said.

The UN investigation team was originally scheduled to spend up to 14 days with a possible extension to investigate claims of the chemical weapons use in the northern town of Khan al-Assal and other locations.

"They (the experts) have now been investigating only one episode of Aug. 21," Ushakov said.

Meanwhile, the official said Washington had not shared its reconnaissance data with Moscow. "We don't believe in it," he said, referring to U.S. allegations that Syrian government forces used chemical weapons.

On Thursday, Russia said the UN experts' possible return to The Hague for sample delivering should not prevent further investigation over alleged chemical weapons use in Syria.

Ushakov also said Syria would not be included on the agenda of the G20 summit to be held in St. Petersburg next week.

"Russia proceeds from the fact that there will be a normal discussion of the agenda, on which Syria is not included. But any leader may raise that topic with no restrictions," he said.

The Syrian crisis "should and will be" discussed during the leaders' bilateral meetings, he said.