Statement by Deputy Political Coordinator Tom Phipps at
the UN Security Council meeting on Syria Chemical
Weapons.
Let me begin by thanking Director-General Fernando Arias of the
OPCW for his latest monthly report, and also to the OPCW
Declaration Assessment Team for their tireless efforts to resolve
the outstanding issues in Syria’s Chemical Weapons Declaration. I
would also like to thank High Representative Nakamitsu for her
briefing today.
President, as Ms Nakamitsu and others have said, ten years ago in
the early hours of 21 August,Bashar Assad’s forces used sarin
against the people of Ghouta. More than 1,000 people were killed,
many of whom were women and children. The resulting UN Mission
report described it as the most significant confirmed use of
chemical weapons against civilians since Saddam Hussein used them
in Halabja in 1988.
This Council expressed its outrage, it condemned the killing of
civilians, it affirmed that any use of chemical weapons
constitutes a serious violation of international law and we
collectively called for accountability. Security Council
resolution 2118 was adopted, unanimously.
The resolution condemned chemical weapons use in Syria and
endorsed the implementation of the OPCW Executive Council
decision setting out the steps for the destruction of Syria’s
chemical weapons programme.
It was clear that the Syrian Arab Republic should not use,
develop, produce, otherwise acquire, stockpile or retain chemical
weapons. It compelled Syria to cooperate fully with the OPCW and
the UN, including by providing personnel designated by the OPCW
with immediate and unfettered access to, and the right to inspect
in discharging their functions, any and all sites that the OPCW
has grounds to believe to be of importance for the purpose of its
mandate.
Ten years later, the provisions of UNSCR 2118 have not been met.
As others have said today, there have been nine further confirmed
chemical weapons attacks by the Syrian regime.
Next month will mark ten years since Syria acceded to the
chemical weapons convention.
It is a moment for us to all reflect on our responsibility for
the implementation of UNSCR 2118, and how we can move forward,
collectively, and in support of the OPCW’s efforts to resolve
outstanding inconsistencies with Syria’s declaration.
We owe that to the victims of Ghouta and of all chemical weapons
attacks. Including the attack carried out by Russia five years in
Salisbury, in the UK, which resulted in the death of the British
national Dawn Sturgess.
President, Syria’s chemical weapons will remain a threat to
international peace and security until its chemical weapons
programme has been fully and verifiably destroyed by the OPCW.
