Bangkok, July.16 (SANA)Syria reaffirmed its rejection of imposing additional obligations related to nitrous oxide (N₂O) before conducting a comprehensive technical, institutional and financial assessment of their potential implications, while taking into account the circumstances and development needs of developing countries.

Anas al-Rahmoun, Director of Climate Change and Environmental Awareness at theMinistry of Local Administration and Environment, made the remarks on Thursday during the 48th Open-ended Working Group of the Montreal Protocol (OEWG48) in the Thai capital, Bangkok.

Al-Rahmoun stated that any new commitments should be based on a comprehensive assessment of their economic and environmental impacts.

He pointed to the need to consider the circumstances of developing countries, particularly those whose economies depend on agriculture, warning that additional restrictions could have implications for agricultural production and food security.

He also called for greater emphasis on capacity building, technology transfer and improving nitrogen-use efficiency, alongside adequate technical and financial support to enable developing countries to implement any future commitments.

Al-Rahmoun welcomed the withdrawal of the proposal submitted by the delegation of Lesotho, reaffirming Syria’s support for dialogue and consensus, as well as its backing for the positions adopted by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and Lebanon on the issue.

The 48th Open-ended Working Group of the Montreal Protocol, hosted at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok, continues through Friday under the theme “From Kigali Commitments to Delivering Sustainable Cooling.”

Participants are discussing ways to reduce emissions from cooling gases, improve energy efficiency and translate the Montreal Protocol’s commitments into low-emission cooling systems.