The United States will continue applying sanctions against the Syrian government to promote accountability for its alleged use of chemical weapons, US Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Richard Mills said on Wednesday.
"Both the Assad regime and its enablers, notably, Russia, who tried to shield Syria from scrutiny, should know that the United States will continue to use all available tools, including sanctions, to promote accountability for chemical weapons use," Mills told the UN Security Council.
The United States estimates that chemical weapons have been used against the Syrian people at least 50 times since the conflict began in 2011, Mills said.
"The use of these weapons is a serious threat not only to the people of Syria, but to international security," he said.
Mills added that as long as the Syrian government continues to "perpetrate atrocities" against its people, peace will be out of reach in the country.
Throughout the Syrian conflict over the past ten years, Western countries and their allies have accused the Syrian government of using chemical weapons against the country's civilian population.
During the 25th Session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in April, France presented a draft resolution, which provides for the suspension of the rights and privileges of Syria in the organization over alleged violation of the CWC. Members of the organization adopted the resolution by a majority vote.
Syria has denied the charges saying it has destroyed its chemical weapons stockpile under OPCW supervision. (ANI/Sputnik)
( With inputs from ANI )
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