RIYADH: Riyadh has urged Damascus, and all those involved in the conflict in Syria, to fully cooperate with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and follow all directives related to such weaponry in the war-hit country.
Sudua Arabia presented the demand during the 103rd session of the Executive Council of OPCW in The Hague. Ziyad Al-Attiyah, the Kingdom’s envoy to the Netherlands and its permanent representative to the OPCW is leading the Saudi delegation.
Speaking at the event, he lauded a meeting in the Beirut, Lebanon in June between representatives of Syria and a delegation from the OPCW’s Technical Secretariat, Saudi media reported on Friday.
He also appreciated the Technical Secretariat’s recent statement confirming that with the destruction of the last remaining US stockpiles on 7 July, the disposal of all declared, global chemical weapon stockpiles has been completed.
Al-Attiyah said that an important and fundamental goal of the OPCW was achieved and this proved that the convention is the most successful disarmament deal in history.
Saudia Arabia prioritize fulfilling obligations under CWC
However, he emphasized to focus next on preventing the reemergence of these weapons, and their use and proliferation. He reiterated the high degree of necessity Saudi Arabia places on the implementation of its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention, which he said aimed to boost international peace and security and ensure chemistry is used only for peaceful objectives.
He also voiced hope that a draft resolution for more equal geographical representation within the functions of the OPCW would be passed by consensus, and demanded all members to support it.
Moreover, he underlined the fact that Saudi Arabia has donated 56,000 dollars to help establish a new Center for Chemistry and Technology (CCT), which will assis in boosting technology transfers and technical assistance among the member states of the organization.
