Syria deplores US support to Israeli mass destruct. weapons

“Syria condemns the use of chemical weapons and other weapons of mass destruction at any time or in any place, by anyone or under any circumstance,” Deputy Foreign Minister and Syria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Dr. Bashar al-Jaafari said at a session for UN Security Council via video.

Al-Jaafari added that during its membership at Security Council, specifically on December 27th 2003, Syria submitted a draft resolution aimed at making the Middle East free from all weapons of mass destruction, but the US delegation threatened then to veto in case Syria propose the draft resolution to voting, in an attempt by the US administration to protect the Israeli occupation entity’s arsenal of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.

He added that the first use of chemical weapons in Syria took place on March 19th 2013 when a terrorist group launched a shell carrying chemical gases at Khan al-Asal area in Aleppo province, killing 25 persons, including 16 soldiers, and wounding scores others.

Al-Jaafari pointed out that the lies and scandals related to the chemical file have been repeated in many incidents, including Khan Sheikhoun incident on April 4th, 2017 and Duma on April 7th, 2018, despite Syria’s accession to the Chemical Weapons’ Convention and the elimination of its stockpiles of these weapons, and the materials and facilities for their production, and destruction of those stocks on a US ship and other European ships.

He affirmed Syria’s regret over turning OPCW and its teams into a tool in the hands of some countries hostile to Syria, as the organization has issued reports prepared remotely and without visiting the sites of accidents and they lack the minimum standards of credibility, professionalism and objectivity.

“The reports’ conclusions were based on uncertain speculations and proposals that depended on the so-called open sources and on what the terrorist groups and their media arm of the White Helmets have provide of allegations, fabricated evidence and false witnesses,” al-Jaafari said.

He clarified that on December 16th, Syria submitted its 85th monthly report to the OPCW technical secretariat on activities related to the destruction of chemical weapons and their production facilities, and it affirms its readiness to follow technical consultations and meetings with the Technical Secretariat of the OPCW.

MNA/SANA