UN Security Council discusses Syria chemical weapons

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ASTANA. KAZINFORM A newly-appointed United Nations High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu has given a briefing on the current situation concerning chemical weapons disposal in Syria to the UN Security Council in New York.

The press-service of Kazakh Foreign Ministry noted that I.Nakamitsu told about the main findings from the Fact-Finding Mission by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

The ministry says the report provides evidence of sulfur mustard in the area of Um Hosh on September 15-16, 2016 as well as sarin or a sarin-like substance during the last incident in Khan Shaykhoun on April 4, 2017. Therefore, the High Representative emphasized that the use of chemical weapons could never be justified and would be treated as a violation of the most basic international law.

Citing the mission's findings, the Kazakh delegates stated that the chemical weapon use situation still remained one of the most challenging and unresolved in Syria. In condemnation of highly hazardous substances such as sarin and sulfur mustard Kazakhstan called for impartial and comprehensive investigation of the above incidents so that to find and put the perpetrators to justice.

In this respect, Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan Kairat Umarov expressed his hope that Izumi Nakamitsu and a new Head of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism Edmund Mulet would make all reasonable efforts to pursue proper and impartial investigation in Syria.

Having heard the OPCW reports, the majority of the Security Council members expressed their support for furtherance of the Fact-Finding Mission activity and revitalization of Joint Investigative Mechanism's work to accomplish full-scale and unbiased investigation of the facts of chemical weapons criminal use in Syria.

 

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