Statement by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean
on the Syrian chemical weapons disposal agreement
and the UN Report
The presentation of the UN Report of the Mission to Investigate Allegations of the Use of Chemical Weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic, in particular on the incident of 21 August 2013 in the Ghouta area of Damascus, and the agreement reached by the United States of America and the Russian Federation on the disposal of the Syrian chemical weapons arsenal, represent a strategic turning point in the internal conflict in Syria.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, while reiterating unreservedly its unconditional condemnation of the use of chemical weapons, especially against the innocent civilian population, welcomes the outcome of the USA-Russia talks, being the result of the highest level of diplomacy and of a prevailing sense of responsibility by all the international community. The commitment by the Syrian authorities to fully abide by the conditions of the agreement and to accede to the Chemical Weapons Convention is also received as a positive development.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean also wishes to highlight the role that national Parliaments have played in the weeks leading to the USA-Russia agreement. In their active function of one of the pillars of democratic governance, the Assemblies have fulfilled their task, in relation to the checks and balances system of the institutional powers, in the most exemplary way when major decisions had to be taken.
The new scenario also allows for PAM to further support confidence building measures and the humanitarian assistance operations carried in Syria and the neighbouring countries, and takes the opportunity to call upon the international community to mobilize the much needed financial backing to support the relief work aimed at alleviating the suffering of millions of Syrian refugees and displaced families.
Finally PAM will continue to dedicate all necessary efforts to reach in the short term a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis.
Malta, 17 September 2013