AFP, Geneva :
The United States led protests on Monday as Syria took over the rotating presidency of the Conference on Disarmament (CD) at a time when Damascus is widely accused of using chemical weapons.
“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,” tweeted US ambassador to the CD Robert Wood.
The CD chair rotates alphabetically every four weeks and Syria’s turn came round on Monday, although the conference will meet in full session only from Tuesday. “The Damascus regime has neither the credibility nor moral authority to preside over the CD. “The international community must not be silent,” Wood wrote.
“A regime that has used CW (chemical weapons) against its own people has no place presiding over the CD’s work.” Britain also protested against the move. “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. But he pointed out that all CD members including Syria had to agree to change the rotating system.
The United States led protests on Monday as Syria took over the rotating presidency of the Conference on Disarmament (CD) at a time when Damascus is widely accused of using chemical weapons.
“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,” tweeted US ambassador to the CD Robert Wood.
The CD chair rotates alphabetically every four weeks and Syria’s turn came round on Monday, although the conference will meet in full session only from Tuesday. “The Damascus regime has neither the credibility nor moral authority to preside over the CD. “The international community must not be silent,” Wood wrote.
“A regime that has used CW (chemical weapons) against its own people has no place presiding over the CD’s work.” Britain also protested against the move. “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. But he pointed out that all CD members including Syria had to agree to change the rotating system.
