Western departments’ accusations against Syrian government about cases of using chemical materials aim at defaming its image

The Hague, SANA – Deputy Foreign and Expatriates Minister Fayssal Mikdad said that the accusations directed by some western departments which hold the Syrian government responsible for the use of toxic chemicals are “coordinated campaign of lies” , adding that they lack credibility and had no tangible evidence and aim at defaming the image of the Syrian government as well as exerting more political pressures on it to achieve objectives and schemes of some states which are hostile to the Syrian state.

Mikdad made his remarks at the 21^st session of the Conference of the States Parties (CSP) to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) which kicked off Monday in the Hague.

He added that Syria has fulfilled its obligations after joining the Chemical Weapons Convention, noting that the major challenges facing the Organization for the Prohibition of the Chemical Weapons (OPCW)are to achieve its global goals through forcing the Israeli entity to join the treaty and other international treaties to make the Middle East an area free from weapons of mass destruction on one hand and to confront the increasing usage of chemical weapons by ISIS, Jabhat al-Nusra and other terrorists organizations.

Mikdad considered that delivering the toxic chemicals to the hands of terrorists and the usage of them in Syria and other places a very serious issue which requires all OPCW member states to meet their obligations regarding the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and other international treaties on counter-terrorism and the UNSC  relevant resolutions, particularly resolution no. 1540.

“Syria, despite the difficult circumstances it passes through, and despite the fight against the most ferocious terrorist attack waged by terrorist organizations and regional and international powers, has always been keen on positive and transparent dealing with OPCW,” said Mikdad

He thanked a number of states which expressed their satisfaction over the Syrian cooperation with the technical secretariat and rejected some states’ attempts to politicize the organization’s work and launch coordinated campaigns to serve aggressive political agendas through raising doubts about the Syrian authorities’ cooperation.

Opening the 21st session of the Conference of the States Parties (CSP) to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) which continues over the next four days, OPCW Director-General Ahmet Uzumcu reviewed the latest developments regarding the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and the progress made by Syria in this regard.

R.Raslan/Mazen