THE HAGUE, November 28. /TASS/. The situation surrounding Syria has been negatively affecting the authority of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Russian Deputy Ministry of Industry and Trade Georgy Kalamanov said, addressing the 22nd Session of the Conference of the State Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention.

According to him, after the OPCW confirmed the complete destruction of chemical weapons in Syria, tensions concerning the alleged chemical attacks in Syria have been rising "as a group of countries seeks to make use of them in order to achieve their short-term political goals."

"Discussions of this issue have grown increasingly politicized," Kalamanov said. "New groundless accusations have been brought against Syria, which concern its initial announcement in relation to the CRPD and claim that the country used toxic chemicals and chemical warfare agents against numerous opposition groups and civilians," the Russian diplomat added. "In other words, double standards are being applied to a full-fledged state party to the CRPD, which has been countering foreign-sponsored extremism and terrorism for years. It has been negatively affecting both the integrity of the Convention and the authority of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons," he concluded.