Delivered by Ambassador Fernando Arias, OPCW Director-General
THE HAGUE, Netherlands–28 June 2023–Today, we commemorate a tragic event that serves as a grim reminder of the horrors of warfare and the impact it can have on innocent lives.
This is a time when we remember with deep solemnity the chemical attack on the residents of Sardasht on 28 June 1987.
On that day, men, women, and children became victims of a horrifying assault that targeted them with deadly gases.
Their suffering, the anguish of the survivors and the affected community, will always resonate with us.
I pay tribute to the memory of the victims, and I urge the international community to renew their commitment to the global norm against the use of these abhorrent weapons.
Unlike in 1987, the world now benefits from a comprehensive ban against this detestable class of weapons, which is embodied in the Chemical Weapons Convention.
The Convention is a unique international legal instrument, whose primary goal is to exclude completely the possibility of the use of chemical weapons.
It is my firm belief that we best honour the victims of chemical weapons attacks, by working collectively to strengthen the Convention.
In 2023, the OPCW and its Member States made strides in this direction.
- In May, the Organisation inaugurated its new Centre for Chemistry and Technology.
The Centre, which is a fantastic building, will significantly enhance the operational and capacity building capabilities of the Organisation.
It will ensure that the OPCW retains the capabilities to address the threat from chemical weapons, long into the future.
- Also in May, the OPCW held the Fifth Review Conference to the Convention.
The common work of the OPCW Member States, during and prior to the Conference, has provided strategic guidance for strengthening the implementation of the Convention.
- Later this year, we will mark the conclusion of the destruction of all declared chemical weapons stockpiles.
The end of this process will be a historic occasion for disarmament, and a great success for the OPCW and the international community.
With the passing of this watershed moment, the OPCW will continue to intensify its focus on preventing these weapons from re-emerging.
The use of chemical weapons in several countries over the past decade demonstrates that the progress we have made in eradicating chemical weapons is easily reversible.
The attack on Sardasht should serve as a stark reminder that we must maintain zero tolerance for violations of the Convention or any action that would normalise the use of chemical weapons.
May this solemn occasion reinforce our commitment to a safer and more just world, where such atrocities like the one that befell Sardasht, are relics of the past.