The Netherlands affirms its commitment to putting an end to government crimes in Syria

THE HAGUE / DARAMSUQ — In comments made to Al-Hadath TV, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Frits Kemperman said that work was currently underway to plan talks with the Syrian government over human rights abuses in the country.

Kemperman indicated that the Netherlands, in partnership with Canada, are eager to discuss the issue with the Syrian government but stated that the details of the negotiations will not be made public.

The Netherlands is committed to putting an end to human rights violations in the country, said Kemperman, stressing the need for justice for the victims and accountability for the perpetrators.

The Netherlands has entered into negotiations in good faith, he said, however, if the negotiations do not lead to results, the Netherlands and Canada will not hesitate to resort to international courts.

The Netherlands had submitted a memorandum to the Syrian government, calling on it to fulfill its international responsibilities on human rights violations, such as torture and the use of chemical weapons in Syria.

Last month, the Syrian government agreed to enter these talks.