Democracies slam Syria's presidency of UN disarmament conference

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.”


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:


France:


European Union:


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.

 
 
 

UN Watch