The House of Representatives of Belarus hails the UN Security Council resolution on destroying chemical weapons in Syria, Speaker of the lower chamber of the National Assembly of Belarus Vladimir Andreichenko said opening the autumn session.
       According to Vladimir Andreichenko, Belarus is gearing up for the participation in the 129th IPU Assembly which is due in Geneva on 7-9 October. The assembly will traditionally consider the issues of international agenda, including the situation in Syria. “We are not indifferent to the situation in Syria, which we have friendly relations with. I am confident that any problems, whatever difficult they might seem, can be solved at the negotiating table. In this vein we hail the resolution recently adopted by the UN Security Council,” the Speaker stressed.
         The UN Security Council has unanimously adopted a binding resolution on ridding Syria of chemical weapons. The resolution refers to Chapter VII of the UN Charter if the country fails to fulfill it, including illegal transfer of chemical weapons and their application by anyone in Syria. This chapter allows the use of sanctions and military force “for keeping or restoring international peace and security”, and a second resolution authorizing such a move would be needed.