Violation of International Law: Frozen Syrian Bank Assets Confiscated by EU, Transferred to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)
Foreign Ministry : release of Syrian assets frozen by EU to fund elimination of chemical weapons flagrant violation of law
A source at the Foreign and Expatriates Ministry said,
“In a step, the newest in a series of illegal procedures made by the European Union on Syria, the EU foreign ministers endorsed on Monday a modification to the restrictive measures imposed on Syria to release Syrian assests frozen by the EU states to fund the elimination of the Syrian chemical weapons, particularly to the credit fund of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), is a flagrant violation of the international law and the UN Charter and understandings reached by the executive board of the OPCW.”
The source added in a statement to SANA that the European step violates the resolution of the OPCW executive board adopted on November 15, 2013 which acknowledged Syria’s stance which was conveyed to the organization officially stating the inability to shoulder the financial costs of destroying the chemical weapons.
The source said that the ministry sees this step which is aimed at evading from the international obligations to fund the process of destroying the Syrian chemical weapons a translation of hidden intentions and an expression of the swindle policy practiced by some influential countries inside the EU at a time when they reject to release frozen assets to fund purchase of food and medicine which is considered the priority of the Syrian state.
“The Foreign Ministry condemns this European selective step and calls on the EU to immediately lift the immoral sanctions imposed on Syria and undo the measures which violate the international law through which the EU allowed its members to arm the terrorist groups which are responsible for bloodshed in Syria and to purchase the Syrian oil,” the source added.
F.Allafi
