Nato pressure in Navalny poison case

BRUSSELS: Nato allies agreed yesterday that Russia must co-operate fully with an impartial investigation to be led by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons into the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, the alliance’s chief said.

“Any use of chemical weapons shows a total disrespect for human lives, and is an unacceptable breach of international norms and rules,” Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference.

“Nato allies agree that Russia now has serious questions, it must answer, the Russian government must fully co-operate with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons on an impartial international investigation,” he said, reporting back from a meeting of the alliance’s ambassadors.