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Mikser: Estonia deeply disturbed by chemical attack in UK

British Army chemical weapons experts in Salisbury, U.K. March 2018.
British Army chemical weapons experts in Salisbury, U.K. March 2018. Source: (PA/Scanpix)

Estonia is deeply concerned and disturbed by the reported use of a chemical nerve agent in the U.K. on March 4, and is calling on Russia to reassure the international community of its declaration of the full destruction of its chemical weapons stockpile last October, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sven Mikser (SDE) said in a statement released on Tuesday.

"Estonia is deeply concerned and disturbed by the reported use of chemical nerve agent in the U.K. on March 4 that has severely poisoned Sergei and Yulia Skripal and endangered the lives of hundreds of others," Mikser said according to a ministry press release.

"The Salisbury attack was the first use of a chemical weapon in Europe since World War II," the Estonian minister noted. "We are shocked that we may still be confronted with the use of such weapons in Europe. This attack is a brutal violation of international law and order and demonstrates complete disregard for human life and suffering."

The perpetrators of the attack must be held accountable, and Estonia is calling for the full cooperation of the international community in this regard, Mikser said, offering the country's support to its friend and ally.

"We call on Russia to reassure the international community of its declaration of full destruction of its chemical weapons stockpile in October 2017, and that the integrity and effectiveness of non-proliferation regimes will be upheld," he added.

Traces of a nerve agent used against ex-Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found at two dining establishments in Salisbury, Southern England, visited by the two of them on March 4, the BBC reported on Saturday.

Editor: Aili Vahtla

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