Members of global chemical weapons watchdog vote to keep Syria from getting poison gas materials

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The annual meeting of members of the global chemical weapons watchdog has called on countries to prevent the sale or transfer to Syria of raw materials and equipment that could be used to create poison gas and nerve agents. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said in a statement that its annual conference decided Thursday that “the continued possession and use of chemical weapons” by Syria, and its failure to “destroy undeclared chemical weapons and production facilities,” have harmed the Chemical Weapons Convention. The decision was backed by 69 nations, while 10 voted against it and 45 nations abstained. Syria denies using chemical weapons during the country’s grinding civil war.