The Hague, July 9 (SANA)The Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on Thursday adopted by consensus a decision restoring the rights and privileges of the Syrian Arab Republic under the Chemical Weapons Convention, in a move reflecting broad international support for Syria and its efforts to deal with the legacy of the chemical weapons program of the deposed Assad regime.

The decision, submitted by Qatar with diplomatic support from its embassy in The Hague, was sponsored by 66 member states representing different regional groups, the largest number of co-sponsors for a draft decision in the history of theOPCW. It was subsequently adopted by consensus by all members of the Executive Council.

In remarks to SANA, Syria’s Permanent Representative to the OPCW, Ambassador Mohammad Katoub, said restoring Syria’s rights and privileges with the unanimous support of the Executive Council “signals international support for Syria’s return as an active member of the international community.”

“It is also a message to the victims who suffered fromchemical weaponsthat they are regaining the rights of their state, which were suspended because of the Assad regime’s use of chemical weapons against them,” Katoub said.