OPCW applauds New Zealand’s contribution to support mission in Syria
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Director-General, Fernando Arias, praised on Tuesday New Zealand for its contribution of more than €84,000 to the Trust Fund for Syria Missions of the OPCW.
Arias said, “I express sincere appreciation to the Government of New Zealand for its financial and political support to the OPCW’s mission to permanently eradicate chemical weapons.”
The Government of New Zealand has contributed more than €84,000 to the Trust Fund for Syria Missions of the OPCW.
He stressed that the New Zealand contribution helps the OPCW in persisting “critical work in Syria to ensure that the norms and principles of the Chemical Weapons Convention are upheld.”
The contribution will be used towards the full elimination of the Syrian Chemical Weapons Programme and clarification of facts related to the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria, according to the OPCW.
Permanent Representative of New Zealand to the OPCW, H.E. Ms Susannah Gordon, and the OPCW Director-General signed the “voluntary contribution” on Monday.
Gordon expressed his country’s pleasure to contribute “a further voluntary contribution to the OPCW Trust Fund for Syria Missions.”
She suggested that “the use of chemical weapons by anyone, at any time, under any circumstances is unacceptable,” stressing that New Zealand will “seek accountability for perpetrators who use these weapons.”
The OPCW and the UN have revealed the Syrian government’s involvement in nine chemical weapons attacks against Syrians, accusing it of failing to “account for” its chemical weapons stockpile and production facilities and to completely destroy the weapons.