GCC condemns Syrian regime's use of chemical weapons in Syria

Geneva: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Monday condemned the Syrian regime's alleged use of chemical weapons, saying this act was "irresponsible and inhumane" as well as a blatant violation of international and humanitarian conventions. The development of the Syrian crisis places the whole world before a big challenge which requires the UN and ... the international Security Council to live up to their responsibilities in line with the Charter of the (UN) organisation and rules of international law," Bahrain's Ambassador to UN in Geneva Yusuf Al-Bujairi was quoted as saying by Kuwait's News Agency KUNA on Monday. Al-Bujairi, whose country holds the rotating GCC presidency, was commenting on a report by the fact-finding commission on human rights violations in Syria. He called for adopting all deterrent measures against perpetrators of the August 21 attack against Ghouta, outside Damascus, "which the Syrian regime is fully responsible of and put an end to violations and genocide it has been perpetrating for more than two years." He called for a united international position vis-a-vis the Syrian conflict, which killed over 100,000 people, to ultimately stop the daily bloodshed, allowing the Syrians to defend themselves and assisting the refugees and displaced. The GCC, affirmed Al-Bujairi, holds the Syrian regime and its militias responsible for the crisis after President Bashar Al-Assad refused all initiatives to address the conflict. He also said the GCC sought unity, independence and territorial safety of Syria. – Emirates News Agency, WAM