THE HAGUE, November 29. /TASS/. Russia is concerned that some countries joining the OPCW Executive Council express hostility to the country, said Azar Dzhioyev, Russia’s deputy envoy to the organization.
"The fact that some countries joining the OPCW Executive Council have an extremely negative attitude toward the Russian Federation causes serious concern," he said at the 28th session of the OPCW Conference of States Parties. "After all, it’s the OPCW and the chemical non-proliferation regime that will be the first to suffer."
Earlier, Russia lost its seat on the council, collecting 65 votes in a reelection bid, just one vote short of the minimum required to win. Russia’s term on the council expires in May of 2024. East Europe will afterward be represented by Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine for a period of one year. Romania and North Macedonia will remain members until 2025.