THE HAGUE, May 20. /TASS/. More than 10 countries have signed a statement against the politicization of the activities of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and unilateral economic sanctions in the chemical industry, Russia's representative to the OPCW, Alexander Shulgin, said on Friday.

The countries that signed the statement expressed their firm support for the Chemical Weapons Convention and highlighted the increasing polarization among member states of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, which has an "undesirable influence on the technical work of the organization." They called for the work of the OPCW to be based "on the spirit of mutual respect, inclusive and transparent consultations and cooperation, taking into account the sovereignty, independence, equality, mutual legitimate interests and concerns of all participating states." The statement also said that "the apolitical, purely technical and non-confrontational nature of the organization's activities is one of the most important prerequisites for achieving the main goal of the CWC: a world without chemical weapons."

The countries that signed the statement also expressed concern about the introduction of unilateral economic sanctions in the chemical industry and called for their complete elimination.

"Any measures that impede the economic and technological development of state-parties or their access to chemical substances, equipment, and scientific and technical information related to the development and use of chemistry for purposes that are not prohibited by the convention, constitute non-compliance with the convention and its provisions on international cooperation," the statement said.

In addition to Russia, Belarus, Burundi, Zimbabwe, Iran, China, Cuba, Nicaragua, Palestine, Syria, and Venezuela also signed the document. The document is open for signing by other members of the organization.