United Nations Signs Status of Mission Agreement with Syria

NEW YORK, 11 December 2015 (Joint Investigative Mechanism) — The United Nations and the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic signed the status of mission agreement of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism in New York this morning.  With the status of mission agreement, the Syrian Government agreed to provide support to the Mechanism to conduct its activities in accordance with Security Council resolution 2235 (2015).

The resolution established the Joint Investigative Mechanism on 7 August.  Its mandate is to identify to the greatest extent feasible individuals, entities, groups, or Governments who were perpetrators, organizers, sponsors or otherwise involved in the use of chemicals as weapons, including chlorine or any other toxic chemical, in the Syrian Arab Republic as determined by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons fact-finding missions.

The Joint Investigative Mechanism’s mandate is for one year; from 24 September 2015 — when the leadership panel was appointed — until 24 September 2016.  Its extension will be decided by the Security Council based on the status of the Mechanism’s findings at the time of the expiration of the current mandate.  Pursuant to resolution 2235 (2015), the first report of the Mechanism will be submitted 90 days following its announcement of commencement of full operations.  The Secretary-General announced the Mechanism fully operational on 13 November, and its first report is expected sometime in February 2016.