Kuwait participates in anti-chemical weapons meeting in France

PARIS, Jan 23 (KUNA) -- Kuwait took part Tuesday in a ministerial conference on the International Partnership against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons.
Kuwait's Ambassador in Paris Sami Al-Sulaiman headed the Kuwaiti delegation, on behalf of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, at the event.
Kuwait supports such an initiative, and is willing to back all efforts contributing to form an international partnership against impunity for the use of chemical weapons, Al-Sulaiman affirmed in his speech at the conference.
Currently, Kuwait is a UNSC member, and also part of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction since 1997, he said.
Al-Sulaiman also mentioned his country's launch of the national committee for the prohibition of chemical weapons, which supervises the efforts exerted by the Kuwaiti government, national, and public institutions to secure the implementation of international agreements and treaties on issues regarding weapons of mass-destruction.
Kuwait is also an active member in the organization that supervises the implementation of the 1997 Convention, in addition to its participation in all international efforts aimed at boosting international peace and security, added the Kuwaiti diplomat.
Meanwhile, Al-Sulaiman urged the international community to search for independent and professional alternatives and measures, with UNSC's approval, to secure the non-impunity of officials from crimes they committed.
He also reiterated his country's supportive stand to the efforts exerted by the UN and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, through their fact-finding missions, in investigating claims of chemical weapons use in Syria.
The Kuwaiti diplomat also stressed the conference's importance in highlighting the dangers surrounding the region, in addition to the consequent international developments and clash of interests that produced wrong concepts to some organizations and people about justifying impunity from punishment due to the ongoing threat targeting humanity, peace, and security.
The use of chemical weapons in conflicts is the most dangerous threat the world is currently facing, Al-Sulaiman said, adding that the conference would emphasize that such a crime against humanity would not be immune from punishment.
"At this conference, we can crystalize an international stand to go after chemical weapon users as part of supporting the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons, and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)," he noted.
The Kuwaiti diplomat expressed hope the initiative attracts an international interest and attain the desired goal of forming a solid international partnership that secures the arrest of chemical weapon users.
Some 30 countries took part in the ministerial conference to endorse the establishment of an International Partnership against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons. (end) mjz.ma