UK and Germany to work together to hold Russia to account after Navalny poisoning

LONDON, Sept 4- Britain and German ministers agreed to work together to hold Russia accountable in the case of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, saying any use of Novichok was a violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, a statement from Britain’s foreign office said. Britain’s Dominic Raab spoke with Germany’s Heiko Maas on Thursday to discuss the poisoning…

LONDON, Sept 4 (Reuters) – Britain and German ministers

agreed to work together to hold Russia accountable in the case

of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, saying any use of Novichok was

a violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, a statement from

Britain’s foreign office said.

Britain’s Dominic Raab spoke with Germany’s Heiko Maas onThursday to discuss the poisoning of Navalny.

“The Foreign Secretary and Maas agreed that any use ofNovichok was a violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, andtherefore a matter of international concern,” a foreign officespokesperson said on Friday.

“They agreed to work together closely, including in theOrganisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), toensure Russia was held accountable for its internationalobligations.”

Russia said on Thursday the West should not rush to judge itover the poisoning of Navalny and that there were no grounds toaccuse it of the crime.(Reporting by William James; editing by James Davey)