Kurien :India welcomes Syria’s accession to Chemical weapons convention

Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha P.J. Kurien has said thatIndia welcomes the framework agreement between Russia and the U.S. on the time-bound safeguarding and destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpiles. “India also welcomes the recent steps taken by Syria to accede to the Chemical Weapons Convention,” he said,according to the Hindu.

Intervening in the discussion on ban on use and destruction of chemical weapons in the meeting of the 129th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union being held in Geneva on Tuesday, Prof. Kurien said that the use of chemical weapons must be condemned in the strongest terms. “Particular care has to be taken to prevent the access of these weapons to non-State actors and terrorists.”

He said that India was one of the signatories to the Chemical Weapons Convention. The Indian Parliament had enacted the Chemical Weapons Convention Act, which came into force in July 2005. India had fulfilled all its obligations under the convention, including destruction of its chemical weapons stockpiles in advance of the timeline agreed under the convention. The Parliament continued to exercise the necessary oversight on effective implementation of India’s international obligations under the convention.

The Deputy Chairperson exhorted all governments to appreciate the urgent need for all governments to sign and ratify the convention. Governments should take steps to place a ban on the use of chemical weapons and ensure the complete and speedy destruction of stockpiles of chemical weapons in the interest of sustainable peace and progress of mankind.

M.D