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Syria FM and Russian Envoy condemn OPCW politicization

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
4 Sep 2023 11:42
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Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Al-Miqdad thanks Russia for standing up to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) as it falsely accuses the Syrian government of the Douma chemical attack without sufficient evidence.

Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Al-Miqdad and the Russian Permanent Representative to the OPCW, Alexander Shulgin, during a meeting in Damascus, Syria, on September 4, 2023. (SANA)

Syria and Russia condemned, during a meeting in Damascus, Syria, Western attempts to discredit and distort the image of the two countries at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

During the meeting on Sunday, Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Al-Miqdad and the Russian Permanent Representative to the OPCW, Alexander Shulgin, condemned the politicization of the organization while Al-Miqdad stressed, once again, Syria's commitment to the non-use of chemical weapons.

Al-Miqdad also thanked Russia for standing up for Syria at the OPCW while Shulgin, in turn, stated that the cooperation among states in the organization served the purpose of preventing the West from imposing their views, based on their interests, on a number of issues discussed in the organization.

In June 2023, the Berlin 21 group of experts, addressed a letter to the Syrian Permanent Mission and representatives of international missions to OPCW. In the letter, they explained that they had reviewed the OPCW investigations into the alleged Douma incident, in which the West blames the Syrian government for conducting a chemical attack against the opposition, including all findings related to chemistry, toxicology, ballistics, and witness testimonies. The group found procedural irregularities that were considered grounds for controversy over the investigations that took place in connection with the Douma incident.

In the past, Russia had accused the United States and its allies of turning the OPCW into a tool to achieve their interests and holding Damascus fully responsible for the chemical attacks "in the absence of sufficient evidence."

OPCW Selectivity

In September 2022, Syria's permanent representative to the United Nations, Bassam Sabbagh, considered that the OPCW and the Security Council Committee's continued politicization of the so-called "chemical file" in Syria proves selectivity and double standards.

During a Security Council session on the "chemical file," Sabbagh reiterated Syria's stance regarding the illegality of establishing the Investigation and Identification Team (IIT).

"The IIT has been established illegitimately. We reject all the wrong and unprofessional working methods of that team, which naturally lead to false conclusions that only serve the agenda of some Western countries that use that team as a tool to serve their hostile agendas against Syria," the Syrian diplomat stressed.

Sabbagh mentioned that Syria had, in the past, proposed to the Technical Secretariat the holding of a high-level coordination meeting in Beirut to agree on its agenda.

The Syrian diplomat underlined that Syria facilitated a visit by the OPCW Technical Secretariat to undertake the ninth round of inspection to the Scientific Studies and Research Center from 11–19 September, expressing his delegation's astonishment that the Director-General’s monthly report did not report on the eighth round of inspection, which underlined the absence of any banned activity under the Convention.

Sabbagh expressed Syria's rejection of all baseless accusations by some countries, foremost the United States, which is supporting terrorist groups that use chemical weapons in the country, noting that since its voluntary accession to the Chemical Weapons Convention, Damascus has been keen to fully cooperate with OPCW.

He pointed out that Syria submitted to the Director-General its monthly report on September 15, which included its activities related to the destruction of chemical weapons and its production facilities.