The Hague, October 06 (QNA) - The State of Qatar participated in the 113th session of the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), held in The Hague, the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Qatar's delegation to the session was headed by HE Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Netherlands Dr. Mutlaq bin Majed Al Qahtani, and its Permanent Representative to the OPCW.

In the State of Qatar's statement before the Council, HE Al Qahtani said that the continuing challenges affecting international peace and security demonstrated that managing crises through temporary solutions or leaving conflicts without just settlements did not lead to stability.

He stressed that dialogue based on international law, respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, mediation and good offices represented the most sustainable means of addressing regional and international conflicts.

He expressed the State of Qatar's deep concern over the continuing humanitarian tragedy in the occupied Palestinian territories and the widening scope of conflicts and attacks in the region, as well as the accompanying risks to civilians, freedom of navigation and international energy supplies.

HE Al Qahtani said that respect for and application of international law should not be selective. He stressed the need to protect sovereign, vital, industrial, oil and petrochemical facilities from any targeting, as such attacks constituted a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and international law.

He reiterated Qatar's categorical rejection of the use of chemical weapons by any party, anywhere and under any circumstances. He stressed the importance of addressing issues related to their use through the mechanisms of the Chemical Weapons Convention and on the basis of facts and technical evidence, while also preventing the re-emergence of such weapons, countering chemical terrorism and addressing the risks of non-state actors gaining access to toxic or dual-use materials, as well as the potential for artificial intelligence technologies to facilitate their misuse. He also stressed the importance of strengthening the preparedness of States Parties to respond to chemical incidents and protect civilians.

HE Qatar's Ambassador to the Netherlands and Permanent Representative to the OPCW also stressed the importance of strengthening international cooperation, promoting the peaceful uses of chemistry and building the capacities of States Parties in accordance with Article XI of the Chemical Weapons Convention.

He highlighted the importance of the responsible use of emerging technologies in verification, information management and capacity-building, alongside strengthening education, awareness and a culture of responsible science, in a manner that supports the effective implementation of the Convention and contributes to achieving its universality. (QNA)