MANILA -- The United States and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have reaffirmed their stand that the use of chemical weapons under any circumstances is "reprehensible," following the attack on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia using a nerve agent in Salisbury, England.
"Participants reaffirmed that the use of chemical weapons anywhere, at any time, by anyone, under any circumstances is reprehensible, and that those responsible for such use should be held accountable," a joint press statement released on Wednesday reads.
The affirmation was made on April 3, during the 31st US-ASEAN Dialogue in Malaysia, where high-level officials from the bloc and Washington convened.
For weeks, the brazen use of chemical weapon in the attempted murder of Skripal and his daughter had hogged the headlines after the substance used was identified as part of a group of nerve agents called Novichok, which was first developed by former Soviet Union in the 1970s and 1980s.
Some Western countries such as France, Germany, and US have supported United Kingdom's assessment that Moscow was "likely" involved in the assassination.
Responding to the issue, the European Union has also recalled its ambassador to Russia.
The Russian Federation had repeatedly denied involvement.
With the diplomatic dispute and its bid to clear its name from the allegations, Moscow had requested a meeting from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), an international chemical weapons watchdog, to discuss the Salisbury nerve agent attack.
At present, it is not yet clear where the chemical was made.
Speaking to UK-based Sky News, Gary Aitkenhead, chief executive of the Defense Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down, confirmed that the chemical was Novichok, but was not able to prove it was made in Russia.
The 57th Meeting of the Executive Council will take place on April 4 (The Hague time) at the OPCW headquarters. (PNA)
