UAE’s envoy to UN decries politicization of Syrian chemical weapons issue

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations has deplored attempts by certain states to politicize the Syrian chemical weapons file, stating that all parties must adhere to the fundamental principles of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

Lana Zaki Nusseibeh made the remarks at a Security Council session on the situation of chemical weapons in Syria on Friday, stating that the issue has turned out to be one of the most politicized files of the UN organ.

She highlighted that all sides must respect the OPCW’s basic principles, including consensus and avoiding politicization.

“On January 13, 1993, then UN Secretary-General [Boutros Boutros-Ghali] opened the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) for signature in Paris, and 130 countries signed the treaty. This is a proof of the international consensus about the accord, and the treaty is viewed as one of the most important historical achievements in the field of disarmament,” Nusseibeh said.

“Nevertheless, the Syrian chemical weapons file is one of the Council's most politicized files,” she pointed out.

“The United Arab Emirates has repeatedly condemned the use of chemical weapons in any place and time, by anyone and under any circumstance, because the use of such munitions is a blatant violation of the CWC provisions and international principles,” Nusseibeh highlighted.

The top UAE diplomat pointed to the remarkable progress on the path of resolving the Syrian chemical weapons issue, calling on all involved parties to have a constructive dialogue.

On April 14, 2018, the United States, the UK, and France carried out a string of airstrikes against Syria over a suspected chemical weapons attack on the city of Douma, located about 10 kilometers northeast of the capital Damascus.

That alleged attack was reported by the White Helmets group, which published videos showing them purportedly treating survivors.

UNSC must deal with Syria chemical file objectively, away from any politicization: Envoy

Syria’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations calls on the UN Security Council to deal with his country’s chemical file objectively and stay away from any politicization.

Leaked OPCW documents later showed that the investigators of the Douma incident had found “no evidence” of a chemical weapons attack.

However, the organization censored the findings under pressure from the US and its allies to conceal evidence undermining the pretext of the US-led bombing of Syria days after the alleged attack.

The Western media and governments have repeatedly accused the Syrian government of using chemical weapons against its own citizens in the war against terrorists.

It comes as Syria surrendered its stockpile of chemical weapons in 2014 to a joint mission led by the United States and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which oversaw the destruction of the weaponry. It has also consistently denied using chemical weapons.

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