MOSCOW 4 Apr (ANA) - The world's chemical weapons watchdog is to meet in the Hague and discuss the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter in the UK.

 

The emergency session was called by Russia, who denies being behind the attack and wants the UK to share evidence.

 

But the UK government says the only "plausible explanation" is that Russia is to blame.

 

The incident has sparked a deep diplomatic rift.

 

On Tuesday the UK's Porton Down laboratory said it could not verify the precise source of the nerve agent used against Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.

 

The laboratory, which has previously identified the substance as a military-grade Novichok nerve agent, said it was likely to have been deployed by a "state actor" but said it was not their job to say where it was manufactured.

 

Porton Down's chief executive Gary Aitkenhead dismissed Russian claims it might have come from the UK military laboratory.

 

The UK says further intelligence led to its belief that Russia was responsible.(ANA)

FA/ANA/4 April 2018-------