Speech: The absence of accountability intended for Syria’s use of chemical weapons is a danger to all of us: UK statement at the Security Council

As a Council we cannot turn a blind eye. We too must uphold our obligations. It is not past too far to turn this around. We welcome the Technical Secretariat’s latest initiative to send a lower team to Syria within January. This is an opportunity, lastly, for the Syrian regime ahead into compliance with their obligations. The responsibility rests with them. Thank you Mr President We might also like to extend a comfy welcome to colleagues from Ecuador, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland. But it became crystal clear that Syria had retained a chemical weapons capability in contravention of quality 2118 and the Chemical Weapons Convention – and even worse than that, further assaults took place. These were shocking attacks by the Syrian regime, designed to inflict mass casualties and extreme suffering by itself people. Prior to the start of conflict in 2011, Syria had an extensive chemical weapons programme. In 2013, after several chemical weapons attacks this Council unanimously adopted resolution 2118. Sadly, during the last 9 years, accountability and effective Council action to uphold resolution 2118 is consistently blocked in the Council. There has also been a consistent disinformation campaign designed to undermine the OPCW and protect the particular Syrian regime from responsibility for its crimes. Because Mr Ebo said today, the absence of accountability is really a threat to international peace and security and a danger to us all. Syria has given that done everything possible to deflect and deny OPCW efforts to resolve the many severe gaps and omissions in its chemical weapons declaration.   As we’ve heard, Syria still today shows its contempt for its obligations underneath the Chemical Weapons Convention and UNSCR 2118. OPCW and shared UN-OPCW investigations confirmed which the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons, including chlorine and sarin, on a minimum of 8 occasions. I’d like to thank Mister Ebo for her briefing as well as the OPCW Director-General for their monthly report. Last year we all marked the 25th anniversary of the Chemical Weapons Convention’s entry into force. All of us has a responsibility to make sure that it is upheld. Thank you. Leader, we are approaching 10 years because the adoption of UNSCR 2118. As a Council we must insist upon its full implementation. What this means is the complete destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile and accountability for their use. The united kingdom joins others in welcoming you to the Council and assuring you of our full support during your Presidency.

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