Responding to the protest campaign and appeal of UN Watch, democracies have strongly protested Syria’s take-over of the presidency of the UN-backed Conference on Disarmament.
United States:
“Monday, May 28, will be one of the darkest days in the history of the Conference on Disarmament with Syria beginning its four-week presidency. The Damascus regime has neither the credibility nor moral authority to preside over the CD. The international community must not be silent.”
Monday, May 28 will be one of the darkest days in the history of the Conference on Disarmament with Syria beginning its four-week presidency. The Damascus regime has neither the credibility nor moral authority to preside over the CD. The int. community must not be silent. pic.twitter.com/6tk32NJjO6
— Ambassador Bruce Turner (@USAmbCD) May 25, 2018
.@USAmbCD: "I call on Russia to end its blind support for the regime in Damascus and for Russia to call on that regime to stand down from assuming the Conference on Disarmament presidency. Syria’s presidency will undermine this body and demean this institution…" pic.twitter.com/inOaxwl9Kt
— UN Watch (@UNWatch) May 24, 2018
Britain:
“The UK deplores the fact that Syria will assume the presidency of the Conference on Disarmament, given the regime’s consistent and flagrant disregard of international non-proliferation and disarmament norms and agreements,” British ambassador Matthew Rowland said in a statement. (Source: AFP)
Germany:
“The Syrian regime has caused immeasurable suffering — through massive bombardment, oppression, starvation and repeated use of chemical weapons,” a German Foreign Ministry spokesman said in Berlin. “Therefore, the regime has no credibility whatsoever to carry out the presidency in a substantive and adequate manner.” (Source: DPA)
German MP Katja Keul:
Dass im Juni mit Syrien ein Land den Vorsitz der UN-Abrüstungskonferenz übernimmt, das Giftgas gegen die eigene Bevölkerung einsetzt, darf nicht unwidersprochen hingenommen werden.https://t.co/3PSIzDYEgk
— Katja Keul (@KatjaKeul) May 28, 2018
France:
Régime syrien ne dispose pas d’autorité morale & légitimité politique nécessaire pr présidence d'@UNODAGENEVA . Ce constat est partagé par de nombreuses délégations, comme @USAmbCD & @EU_UNGeneva #CD #désarmement pic.twitter.com/d9egiEzZQg
— France-Désarmement 🇫🇷🇪🇺 (@FR_Desarmement) May 29, 2018
Pr marquer sa réprobation vis-à-vis de situation, 🇫🇷ne sera pas représentée par son ambassadeur pour sessions plénières durant présidence syrienne mais sera pleinement représentée ds organes subsidiaires placés sous présidences d’autres délégations.#CD #désarmement pic.twitter.com/2FOC7EGLQA
— France-Désarmement 🇫🇷🇪🇺 (@FR_Desarmement) May 29, 2018
European Union:
We consider it highly regrettable that the Syrian regime assumes the Presidency of the Conference of #Disarmament, even for 1 month. It does not have the necessary legitimacy to perform this function. Full statement: https://t.co/YEz8cWw0LK @UNODAGENEVA pic.twitter.com/4RD7dSoNUV
— EU at the UN – Geneva #MultilateralismMatters (@EU_UNGeneva) May 29, 2018
Netherlands:
The Syrian regime does not have the moral authority nor the credibility to carry out the presidency of the Conference on Disarmament… International rights law, International humanitarian law and the Chemical Weapon Convention have been violated repeatedly and systematically in the Syrian conflict.
No regime, no government, no non-state actor can violate or disregard international humanitarian law or disarmament norms. Syria is the most poignant modern example of the effects of impunity. If we cannot hold any actor accountable for its deeds, impunity will reign.
The Netherlands will continue to work with international partners to end such impunity. It might not be today or tomorrow, but the Syrian regime will be held accountable in the end.