In a meeting today, the Executive Council of the OPCW adopted by consensus a decision expressing grave concern regarding the findings of the Fact-Finding Mission that chemical weapons have once again been used in the Syrian Arab Republic.
The Council reaffirmed its condemnation, in the strongest possible terms, of the use of chemical weapons by anyone under any circumstances. It emphasised that any use of chemical weapons anywhere at any time by anyone under any circumstances is unacceptable and would violate international law. The Council expressed its strong conviction that those individuals responsible for the use of chemical weapons should be held accountable.
Thirty-eight States Parties participated in the debate, with some diverse views being expressed.
Earlier, the Director-General, Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü provided to the Executive Council an update on recent developments including the operationalisation of the OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism that has been established under UN Security Council Resolution 2235 (2015) with the mandate to identify, to the greatest extent feasible, individuals, entities, groups or Governments perpetrating, organizing, sponsoring or otherwise involved in the use of chemicals as weapons in Syria.