Macron Calls On Russia During UN General Assembly Speech To 'Shed Light' On Navalny Case

UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd September, 2020) French President Emmanuel Macron in his speech to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday called on Russia to share information about the alleged poisoning of opposition figure Alexey Navalny.

"On behalf of collective security, I restate here to Russia that light needs to be shed on the assassination attempt against a political opponent using a neurotoxic agent Novichok," Macron said. "This clarification needs to take place quickly and without fault because we will enforce our red lines."

On Thursday, the European Parliament passed a resolution demanding that the bloc work out a list of "ambitious restrictive measures" against Russia over the alleged attempt to poison Navalny as well as strengthen the existing sanctions. The resolution reiterated its call on the European Union to stop the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project.

On August 20, Navalny fell ill during a domestic flight in Russia. He was initially treated in the Siberian city of Omsk, where the plane made an emergency landing. Two days later, Navalny was flown to the Berlin-based Charite clinic for further treatment after the Russian doctors gave a go-ahead that he could be transported by airplane.

The German government said they had proof Navalny was poisoned with a nerve agent from the Novichok group of toxins. According to Berlin, the conclusions of its doctors were confirmed by laboratories in France and Sweden.

Tests in Russia did not show traces of poison in Navalny's organism. Moscow has demanded that Germany provide evidence to back up its claims, but has not yet received any.