RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has called on Syria, and all those involved in the conflict in the country, to fully cooperate in good faith with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and follow all directives related to such weapons in the war-torn nation. It came during the 103rd session of the OPCW’s Executive Council in The Hague, which began on Tuesday and continues until Friday. The Saudi delegation is led by Ziyad Al-Attiyah, the Kingdom’s ambassador to the Netherlands and its permanent representative to the OPCW. Speaking at the event, he welcomed a meeting in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, last month between representatives of Syria and a team from the OPCW’s Technical Secretariat, the state-run Saudi Press Agency reported. He also welcomed a recent statement from the Technical Secretariat confirming that with the destruction of the last remaining US stockpiles on July 7, the disposal of all declared, global chemical weapon stockpiles has been completed. #OPCW confirms: All declared #ChemicalWeapons stockpiles verified as irreversibly destroyed. The last chemical munition of the US declared chemical weapons stockpile was irreversibly destroyed in accordance with the #ChemicalWeaponsConvention . Read the full press… pic.twitter.com/PQpymyvO0k — OPCW (@OPCW) July 7, 2023 “Thus, an important and fundamental goal of the Chemical Weapons Convention was achieved and this proves, beyond any doubt, that the convention is the most successful disarmament agreement in history,” Al-Attiyah said as he congratulated Washington on the achievement. However, he stressed the need to focus next on preventing the reemergence of chemical weapons, and their use and proliferation. He reiterated the high degree of importance the Kingdom places on the implementation of its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention, which he said aims to strengthen international peace and security and ensure chemistry is used only for peaceful purposes. The Kingdom’s determination to eliminate chemical weapons and the threats they pose reflects its policy of working to enhance cooperation in efforts to ban all types of weapons of mass destruction and prevent their proliferation, and to ensure the Middle East region is free of them. The use of chemical weapons or toxic substances by anyone, anywhere, under any circumstances is reprehensible and a violation of the convention’s provisions, said Al-Attiyah. He also expressed hope that a draft resolution for more equitable geographical representation within the functions of the OPCW would be adopted by consensus, and called on all members of the Executive Council to support it. In addition, he highlighted the fact that the Kingdom has donated €50,000 ($56,000) to help establish a new Center for Chemistry and Technology, which will help to boost technology transfers and technical assistance among the organization’s member states. Al-Attiyah said the donation is part of Saudi Arabia’s efforts to support initiatives designed to enhance international cooperation in efforts to ban chemical weapons and prevent their proliferation, in compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention and the role it plays in enhancing international peace and security.