Russia urges Syria to abide by Geneva Protocol on chemical weapons

MOSCOW, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Russia has told Syria that any use of chemical weapons would be unacceptable, the Russian Foreign Ministry said here on Wednesday.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov discussed the current situation in Syria with Syrian Ambassador to Russia Riyad Haddad, the ministry said in a statement on its website.

According to the statement, Bogdanov reminded the Syrian envoy that Damascus had joined the 1925 Geneva Protocol, which prohibited the use of chemical or biological weapons at war.

"Russia made its position absolutely clear that it is unacceptable to threaten the use of chemical weapons and that Damascus must obey the Geneva Protocol," the statement said.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Syrian authorities have assured Russia that the security of the country's chemical arsenal was firmly protected.

A spokesman of the Syrian Foreign Ministry said on Monday that Syria may consider using chemical or biological weapons when it is "exposed to external aggression."

The spokesman added that such weapons, monitored and guarded by the Syrian army, will never be used against the Syrian people no matter how the current crisis evolves in the Middle East country. Enditem

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