Izumi Nakamitsu, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, briefed participants on the implementation of Resolution 2118, noting that most of field activities by the Technical Secretariat of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) have still been suspended due to impacts of anti-COVID-19 measures.
Regarding the settlement of outstanding issues related to the initial declaration by Syria to the OPCW under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the OPCW Technical Secretariat and Syria are discussing to seek ways to accelerate this process. The two sides are preparing for the 25th round of consultations in the latter half of October and also for a meeting between the OPCW Director-General and the Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, who is also head of the country’s national authority for the CWC.
At the session, UNSC members voiced concerns about the allegations of chemical weapon use in Syria and appealed for cooperation to be enhanced to prevent this action.
They emphasised the importance of promoting technical cooperation between the OPCW Technical Secretariat and Syria to deal with the outstanding issues towards the full implementation of obligations under the CWC and UNSC Resolution 2118.
In his remarks, Ambassador Pham Hai Anh, Deputy Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, reiterated Vietnam’s stance on condemning the use of chemical weapons, stressing the need for respecting and fully implementing the CWC.
He highlighted the role of technical consultations between Syria and the OPCW Technical Secretariat to early resolve the outstanding issues related to Syria’s initial declaration, thus seeking a durable solution to the chemical weapon issue in this country in line with Resolution 2118.
The diplomat also underlined the importance of constructive cooperation and the international community’s unanimity so as to facilitate this process.
