Russia for international probe into chemical attack in Syria

Moscow: A senior Russian diplomat says Moscow believes that an international probe into last week's chemical attack in Syria should include experts from Brazil, India, Iran and other nations.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov insisted today that inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons should visit both the Syrian air base, which the US said had served as a platform for the attack, and the area of the attack as soon as possible.

The US has blamed the Syrian government for launching the attack that killed more than 80, while Russia has claimed that toxic agents were released from a rebel chemical arsenal hit by Syrian warplanes.

Russia vetoed a Western draft UN resolution Wednesday saying it failed to mention the need to inspect the area of the attack.