Syrian Regime’s CD presidency a Travesty
United States is urging the international community to condemn Syria’s presidency of the Conference on Disarmament which began this week. “Simply put, it is a travesty that the Syrian regime – which continues to indiscriminately slaughter its own people with weapons banned by the Chemical Weapons Convention – should presume to preside over this body.” said Ambassador Robert Wood as Syria’s four-week presidency began. “Syria has neither the credibility nor the moral authority to assume the presidency of the Conference on Disarmament, the very body that negotiated the Chemical Weapons Convention.” Ambassador Wood made clear that that the U.S. could not consider the four-week-long Syrian presidency business as usual. Members of the U.S. delegation left the room during Syria’s opening statement. “During the next four weeks, we will be present in this hall to ensure that Syria is not able to advance initiatives that run counter to the interests of the United States, but we will fundamentally alter the nature of our presence in the plenaries,” Ambassador Wood said.
U.S. Mission Photo/Eric Bridiers