Syria and China have criticized the OPCW’s unfairness on the Syrian chemical file.
Syria’s permanent representative to the UN, Bassam Sabbagh, said on Monday that Syria reaffirms its rejection and condemnation of using chemical weapons under any circumstance, by anyone, at any place or time.
Sabbagh added at the UN security council session that some countries still politicize the chemical file in Syria, turning a blind eye to its cooperation with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), and direct baseless accusations against the country.
He affirmed that Syria regrets the absence of balance and neutrality in the briefings of the High Representative of disarmament affairs.
Sabbagh said that Syria welcomed the holding of a meeting in Damascus between the Foreign and Expatriates Minister and the Director-General of the OPCW, and the country also welcomed the visit of the Declaration Assessment Team (DAT) to Damascus to hold the 25th round of consultations, according to the date agreed upon between the two sides as the necessary entry visas were granted to the team members, with the exception of one whom Syria wished to see replaced.
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Sabbagh added that the report of the Director-General of OPCW regarding the visit of the Declaration Assessment Team and holding Syria responsible for the inability of the Technical Secretariat to plan the missions of its various teams is inaccurate, subjective, and completely rejected, noting that everyone knows what the Director-General said before the Security Council about postponing the visit of the team until after the summer, while Syria had a real interest in speeding up the conclusion of this team’s discussions and close this file
Sabbagh added that the fact-finding committee still ignores information about the possession by terrorist groups of chemical weapons and their endeavors to use them and accuse the Syrian Arab army of the act.
China
China renewed its invitation to the Technical Secretariat of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to adhere to impartiality, objectivity, and independence regarding the chemical file in Syria.
It is China’s consistent position that dialogue and cooperation is the right approach to the Syrian chemical weapons issue, Geng Shuang, China’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, told the Security Council briefing on Syria on Monday.
“We hope that the Technical Secretariat will adhere to the technical nature, uphold the spirit of impartiality, objectivity, and independence in performing its duty and facilitate a return of attribution to the framework of the convention,” he said.
This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
