‘LOOK AT ME WHEN I’M TALKING TO YOU!’
Astonishing moment Russian diplomat lashes out at British counterpart who blasted Putin’s support for ‘murderous’ Assad in fiery UN meeting
AN astonishing row broke out at the UN last night as Russia and Britain's ambassadors berated one another and accused each other of undermining peace in Syria.
The heated argument led to a furious tongue-lashing from Russian diplomat Vladimir Safronkov, who demanded Britain's representative "look at me" as he scolded him.
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Speaking ahead of a resolution that Russia vetoed allowing closer investigation into the Syrian sarin gas attack, British diplomat Matthew Rycroft accused Russia of being on "the wrong side of history".
Safronkov responded by claiming Britain was bringing to the security council a "confrontational attitude".
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"The essence is, and everyone in the UN knows this very well, you are afraid.
"You are losing sleep that we might be working together with the US. That is what you fear, you are doing everything to make sure that this kind of cooperation be undermined.
"This is precisely why - look at me, when I'm speaking, don't look away. Why are you looking away?
"This is precisely why you today didn't say anything about the political process.
"You make insulting demands. Well what have you done to advance the ceasefire? You welcome various opposition groups to London and Paris - illegal armed groups.
"You certainly are afraid that things move towards peace and a political solution. You support the interests of armed groups, many of them have been murdering Christians and other minorities in the Middle East."
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Mr Safronkov's astonishing dressing-down came after Mr Rycroft said Russia had been siding with a "murderous, barbaric criminal, rather than with their international peers".
He added that Russia has a choice of sticking with "the toxic Assad regime that poisons its own people" or seeking peace through negotiations and a political transition.
"The United Kingdom therefore shares the US assessment that it is highly likely that the regime was responsible for a sarin attack on Khan Sheikhun on the 4th of April."
He added that supporting the Assad regime would result in "shame" and "humiliation" for Russia.
His comments came after US President Donald Trump said Mr Putin was backing an "evil person" in Assad, as talks took place in Russia between the countries' chief diplomats.
Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson says he is "dismayed" at Russia's veto of a UN resolution condemning the use of chemical weapons in Syria.
Speaking after Moscow blocked the United Nations call, Mr Johnson said "this puts Russia on the wrong side of the argument".
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It was the eighth time that Russia has used its veto power at the UN Security Council to block action directed at its ally in Damascus.
Britain, France and the United States put forward the UN draft resolution in response to the suspected sarin gas attack in Khan Sheikhun on April 4 that left 89 dead, including 31 children.
British analysis of samples from the site concluded that sarin, or a substance like it, was used.
Britain believes it is ";highly likely the Assad regime was responsible", Mr Johnson said yesterday.
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Mr Johnson continued: "Last week in Syria, a barbaric attack was committed.
"Today, British scientists have completed an analysis of samples obtained from the site of the attack and concluded that sarin, or a sarin-like substance, was used.
“Our assessment, like that of the US, is that it is highly likely the Assad regime was responsible.
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"This afternoon in New York, the international community sought to make clear that any use of chemical weapons by anyone anywhere is unacceptable and that those responsible will face consequences."
Mr Johnson added: "So I am dismayed that Russia has once again blocked the UN Security Council and in so doing refused to condemn the use of chemical weapons or support a full UN investigation into the attack.
"This puts Russia on the wrong side of the argument. But it doesn't have to be this way.”
He urged Russia to stop "acting as a lifeline for Assad's murderous regime" after the attack on the town left hundreds injured.
This came hours before reports came from local media that loud explosions were reportedly heard at a Syrian military base sparking reports Israeli Air Force has struck regime troops.
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This comes as US Donald Trump appeared to have done U-turn and claimed Nato is "no longer obsolete" reversing the stance he took during his presidential election.
President Trump recently shot a flurry of tomahawk missiles at a Syrian airbase, destroying aircraft, in response to Assad's chemical attack.
Speaking at a press conference he said: "I complained about that a long time ago and they made a change, and now they do fight terrorism.
"I said it [Nato] was obsolete. It's no longer obsolete."
But Mr Trump repeated his call for Nato member states to contribute more funding to the alliance.
Yesterday the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson admitted there is a “low level of trust” between the US and Russia after finally meeting with Putin for tense talks over the Assad regime.
The top diplomat spoke with the Russian president in the Kremlin for almost two hours following fraught discussions with Sergey Lavrov today.
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