DAMASCUS, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Syria's interim Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani on Thursday wrapped up a 24-hour diplomatic visit to the Netherlands, including a historic stop at the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague.
"For the first time in history, Syria addressed the Executive Council of the OPCW through its foreign minister," al-Shibani wrote on social media platform X on Thursday.
Al-Shibani said that in his address to the global chemical weapons watchdog, he reaffirmed Syria's commitment to resolving its crisis concerning the remaining chemical weapons in the country.
"This participation reaffirms Syria's commitment to international security," read the post.
The minister added that during the diplomatic visit, he also held talks with Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp "to open a new page in Syrian-Dutch relations" and attended two separate meetings -- one with OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias in the presence of several foreign ambassadors, and the other with Arab ambassadors -- during which they "discussed (Syria's) transitional justice, means of supporting Syria's path in this field, and strengthening bilateral relations."
Arias visited Damascus in February for talks with the leadership of Syria's interim government. ■
